Suit: Versace used secret 'code' for black customers

Ahhhh Versace, the pinnacle of fine fashion and cutting edge ideologies.
Except a former employee named Chris Sampiro, who says he is 1/4 african American, says that super fashion label uses a code when Black customers enter the store.

www.cnn.com...
(CNN)A former Versace employee is suing the company for unfair business practices, and one of the allegations in his lawsuit is that the luxury fashion label uses a secret "code" to alert employees when a black customer enters the store.
Christopher Sampiro, 23, says he was fired for being of mixed race, after working two weeks at the Versace outlet store in Pleasanton, California.

During training Sampiro was asked if he knew about the D410 code, that is the same code used for back clothing (color, I think). The manager said the code was used to alert the workers that a black person was in the store. He told the manager that he is part African American.

Sampiro alleges that during the new-employee training, a manager asked him if he knew about the "D410 Code" -- the same code used for black clothing. The manager's name is not mentioned in the lawsuit, which was filed in November, six weeks after the alleged exchange.
The manager instructed Sampiro "to say 'D410' in a casual manner when a black person entered the store," according to the lawsuit. The manager explained the "code is used to alert co-workers that 'a black person is in the store,'" the lawsuit said.
Sampiro responded by asking the manager, "You know that I'm African American?" In the lawsuit, Sampiro self-identifies as one-quarter African American.

After he told the manager that he was part African American, he claims he was treated differently and was fired for not knowing what "luxury" is.

After this response, Sampiro claimed the store's management treated him differently and did not give him "legitimate" training.
Sampiro was fired after working two weeks in September because he didn't "understand luxury" and didn't "know the luxury life," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges Sampiro was not paid for time worked, did not receive rest periods and was wrongfully terminated.

a reply to: seasonal

Sounds like BS to me.

a reply to: ColdWisdom

Well it is CNN, but nothing and I mean nothing surprises me.

a reply to: seasonal

As a former model, who did a number of Versace campaigns and runway shows, baby sat Allegra and was pretty close to Donatella, Paul and Gianni...this sounds like bs to me. At least in regards the brand, as they hired mixed and full ethnicities to do print and runway, for instance Nadej in the early 90s, one of numerous.

a reply to: BlueJacket

From the brand I would agree with you.
A store location - I wouldn't be surprised honestly.
Abercrombie & Fitch got nailed for something similar
and the events did happen.

a reply to: BlueJacket

The red flag for me was the part at the end of the article where the defendant claimed they terminated his employment for not knowing 'luxury.'

If he didn't know luxury he would have never got the job.

This sounds like a butt hurt snowflake playing the race card.

a reply to: BlueJacket

Could be, but did you work in the stores. Selling the cutting edge fashion to the eager public?

Even if true, I would imagine this would be a hard charge to prove.
I don't doubt anything but if it was code and obviously not standard practice, I have to think little would come from this.

a reply to: MagicCow

Weren't they the company that got sued by a Muslim for discrimination?

They lost... And the sharia compliant Muslim got to live her life long dream of working as a cashier at A&F.

a reply to: ColdWisdom

Or a business using racist practices and
were caught red handed.
Hoping your narrative will be
what is believed to be true.

a reply to: VinylTyrant

I would think this is an isolated idiot manager who made this his or her personal standard policy.

a reply to: MagicCow

Do you know how easy it is for me to file a lawsuit without it making national news?

This is a headline because it plays to the narrative that we've been hearing for the past 8 years.

Which is exactly why CNN published this story in the first place, methinks.

a reply to: ColdWisdom

Or it happened.

a reply to: seasonal

Pretention alert.

I have been shopping at the 5th Ave store for some time, the sales associate who has been helping me the entire time is black. He was friends with Gianni and works with Donatella. Not buying this story.

It could be a store manager acting unilaterally but it is not a company-wide practice.

a reply to: MagicCow

Anything is possible at the local level. But what makes the whole lawsuit sound made up is the "code", lol d410

Boutiques that sell these lines are not giant, wouldnt everyone see the darker clients? I mean so once this supposed code was used...what then? I mean was the guest shunned, escorted out, price gouged? Of what purpose could the silly use of this code actually serve?

It sounds like the immature imaginings of a 23 year old trying to make a quick buck and a name.

originally posted by: BlueJacket
But what makes the whole lawsuit sound made up is the "code", lol d410.

D41, D410 and D4101 are the codes for the color 'black' at Versace.

if true proving it will be impossible the defense will be:
he was an incompetent employee he obviously misunderstood what was said D410 is a code we use to identify black color clothing, not black people. he was incompetent in other aspects of the job also which is why we had to terminate him after only 2 weeks.

The main reason that this lawsuit made headlines is because some lawyer got a hold of a reporter friend and had them make it news. The idea is to raise an outcry to get Versace to settle out of court because the lawsuit is BS.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Damn. You really know your Versace.

Interesting story, but what's the end game for the "whistleblower"? National outrage? I'd think a Versace is a very exclusive brand and this sort of behavior wouldn't have even a marginal affect on their sales. And almost everyone hates a narc -- even D410's.