• High-end perfumer Bond no. 9 is in hot water over claims of a pattern of racist behavior against black and dark skinned customers and employees. Ex shopgirls Veronica Robledo and Karin Windmann are suing owner Laurice Rahme for $3 million. Robledo says over her nine years with the company, she witnessed Rahme targeting black customers walking into the store as possible thieves, alerting security with the code “we need the light bulbs changed.” Robledo also says she was barred from serving white customers because of her dark skin, and was accused of knowing a black person who shoplifted in an adjacent store (since you know, all brown people know each other). When Robledo and Windmann complained about the racism, they were fired and accused of stealing $25,000 of stock. Of course, Rahme denies any incidence of racism, claiming that each time their store was robbed, the perpetrator was black. Rahme also says that she is not racist because she used to date a mandingo black man when she was younger, so there! Either way, something in the tea ain’t sweet here… (NYDN)
• LOLanvin, the fashionista’s answer to “What Should We Call Me” is about to be your favorite fashion Tumblr ever. Get into it! (LOLanvin)
• Azealia Banks is truly about that mermaid life, getting her Yaki wet in her new video for ‘Van Vogue.’ (HungerTV)
• Banks’s BFF Alexander Wang must be happy this morning, as the $450 million sweatshop lawsuit brought against him by former employees has been dismissed, after Wang’s people settled with their accusers. (Fashionista)
• Mary Katrantzou is teaming up with Vodafone to bring her loyal stans exclusive coverage and content from her Spring 2013 to her Fall 2014 shows. Of the partnership Katrantzou says, “I am excited to be working with Vodafone, as a brand they have really cemented their credibility and support within the fashion industry over the past few seasons. Their innovation elements really appeal to me and it felt a natural fit to join forces. I’m really looking forward to be able to widen the fashion net to their customers and bring them to the front line of fashion week.” Thanks Vodafone, for supplying me with yet another tool with which I can stalk Ms. Katrantzou! (Vogue UK)
• Vogue photographed Balmain‘s Olivier Rousteing, Joseph Altuzarra, and Anthony Vaccarello alongside muses Chanel Iman, Kate Upton (!) and Candice Swanepoel (amongst other designers and muses) for their September mega-issue. Excuse me as I lie down, Olivier’s fine self is giving me heart palpitations. (High Snobiety)
• Just in case you forgot that Victoria Beckham was the luckiest woman in the world, H&M is here to remind you. To promote David Beckham‘s second bodywear range with the retailer, H&M is erecting 9 statues in the sexy soccer player’s likeness. From Thursday to Sunday, the statues will be displayed in various locations in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. Instagram a shot of the photos with the hashtag #HMBECKHAM to win prizes including a $1,000 shopping spree from the retailer, a pair of signed undies, and a miniature Beckham statue to add to your personal shrine. (WWD)
• Flawless glam goddess Ajak Deng is the face for M.A.C. cosmetics‘s Electric Cool collection. (Fashion Fiend)
~Jihan
August 15, 2012 12:00 pm
Love the pick of Ajak Deng. Her skin is flawless. I’m not surprise another company is in hot water over “racist” behavior. We as African Americans need to stop supporting companies who don’t care about us. Let it go. There are people who are never going to like us for whatever reason and that should be ok. We need to support more African American companies anyway. And as for Rahme saying she’s not racist because she dated a black guy….that means nothing. The definition of racism is feeling that your race is superior to another race. Sadly there are “other” people who date us and deep down don’t like us very much. We need to again love ourselves and stop trying to get accepted by folks who will never like us anyway.
August 15, 2012 2:25 pm
So you rebel against daddy and date a black boy so you’re automatically not racist?! Bull!
August 15, 2012 2:57 pm
Clearly the women from Bond No.9 is racist because only a racist would provide excuses like those. And if it was me I would’ve sued for a lot more than 3 million.
August 15, 2012 9:46 pm
no way would i have worked that long for an employer who was racist. and latasha hit the nail on the head. stop making people rich by buying their product & they don’t even want you in their stores.