Three Black customers are suing Louis Vuitton for racial discrimination, accusing the luxury brand of unfairly banning them from its stores and treating them differently from white customers. Tracy Renee Williams, a VIP customer and social media influencer, her daughter Brandi Williams, and her friend Kristopher Enoch have filed a lawsuit in California federal court. They claim the company discriminated against them based on race, under the Unruh Civil Rights Act.
Alleged Discriminatory Treatment from Louis Vuitton
The lawsuit centers on multiple incidents where the plaintiffs allege they were mistreated while shopping at Louis Vuitton stores. Tracy Williams claims that after preordering $50,000 worth of merchandise in 2022, she received an email from the brand stating it would no longer serve her.
“Please be advised that Louis Vuitton is no longer prepared to do business with you,” the email reportedly read. When Williams visited the Louis Vuitton store in Beverly Hills to address the issue, she says a white manager told her she was banned and would be arrested if she returned.
Despite this, Williams says her white assistant was able to visit the same store, purchase the items, and was treated respectfully by the staff. “Louis Vuitton staff treated him respectfully, and he was not threatened with arrest,” Williams stated in the lawsuit.
Similar Allegations from Brandi and Kristopher
Brandi Williams claims she faced racial discrimination at a Louis Vuitton store in Chicago in 2023. According to the lawsuit, a white manager accused her of using “drug money” to make purchases and refused to let her shop. When Brandi sent a non-Black friend to the same store with a gift card in her name, the store deemed the purchase “illegal” and demanded the items be returned.
Kristopher Enoch also claims to have experienced discrimination at a Beverly Hills store. He was allegedly denied the opportunity to purchase a jacket for Tracy, which was offered to a non-Black customer who declined it.
The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial, claiming racial discrimination, breach of contract, and theft.