Oprah Winfrey Accuses Trois Pommes Clerk of Discrimination, Brand Rep Denies It

[Flygirl]

I get ignored at stores here in Mississippi, so you know I look terrible! Ha ha! I'm always, like, "please bitches, what do you have to be so snobby about anyway? You're working at a clothing store in Jackson, ffs." Sorry, that's my inner snob going off. She keeps me going through shopping hell

[InigoMontoya]

I kind of like the bag. It's like a tiny piece of furniture.

This cracked me up. I imagined hearing Serge's voice from Beverly Hills Cop when reading it.

[SHELLEE]

I don't get treated like that at all when I go shopping. But then again, most of my clothes come from my friends. In bags.

[twitchy2.0]

People bow down before me wherever I go.

I may be slightly overdressed.

[Kittylady]

My sister worked on Rodeo Drive in retail and she said that everyone who works in high-end retail knows that you can't tell from the outside who has the big bucks. So anyone who is looking to make their living on commission needs to put that shit aside. One of the joys of being rich is that you get to do what you want, including dressing however you want. I guess it's still not OK in some places to be black, though.

Nope. Speaking from experience: in some places in the US it's about as bad as in some places elsewhere in the world. There are assholes all over the place.

And it work both ways. I've had a seriously shitty attitude thrown at me whilst on my travels for being a white woman in a densely Asian populated area.

[Kittylady]

The sales assistant gives her version of events.

'Oprah's a liar': Sales assistant in Swiss racist handbag row denies telling TV host that she could not view item because she couldn't afford it

• Sale assistant said she feels 'powerless' after the racism accusations
  
• Oprah Winfrey claimed assistant refused to show her a handbag because it was 'too expensive'
  
• Speaking anonymously, shop worker said claims were 'absurd'

The sales assistant who refused to show U.S. talkshow billionaire Oprah Winfrey a luxury handbag costing nearly £25,000 claims the superstar lied about what happened in the luxury Swiss boutique where she works.
Speaking anonymously to Sunday newspaper SonntagsBlick, the Italian bag lady said she felt 'powerless' and in the grip of a 'cyclone' after Winfrey went on TV in America to claim she had been the victim of racism.
Winfrey was in Switzerland in July when she walked into the Trois Pommes boutique in Zurich looking for a handbag to match the outfit she was going to wear to old friend Tina Turner's wedding.

She claims the sales assistant refused to show her the black crocodile leather bag because - seeing a black woman - she automatically assumed she would not be able to afford it.
Now the saleslady has hit back, stating: 'I wasn't sure what I should present to her when she came in on the afternoon of Saturday July 20 so I showed her some bags from the Jennifer Aniston collection.
'I explained to her the bags came in different sizes and materials, like I always do.

'She looked at a frame behind me. Far above there was the 35,000 Swiss franc crocodile leather bag.

'I simply told her that it was like the one I held in my hand, only much more expensive, and that I could show her similar bags.
'It is absolutely not true that I declined to show her the bag on racist grounds. I even asked her if she wanted to look at the bag.



'She looked around the store again but didn't say anything else. Then she went with her companion to the lower floor. My colleague saw them to the door. They were not even in the store for five minutes.'
She emphatically denied ever saying to Winfrey: 'You don't want to see this bag. It is too expensive. You cannot afford it.'




The saleslady went on: 'This is not true. This is absurd. I would never say something like that to a customer. Really never. Good manners and politeness are the Alpha and the Omega in this business.
'I don't know why she is making these accusations. She is so powerful and I am just a shop girl.

'I didn't hurt anyone. I don't know why someone as great as her must cannibalize me on TV.
'If it had all taken place as she claimed, why has she not complained the next day at the wedding of Tina Turner with Trudie Goetz, my boss? She was there also at the Turner wedding as a guest. I don't understand it.
'I spoke to Oprah Winfrey in English. My English is okay but not excellent, unfortunately.

'I didn't know who she was when she came into the store. That wouldn't have made any difference if I had.



'We work really hard to greet all the people who come into the store with the same level of respect and treat them all equally.
'If someone asks me whether he or she can see an article, I always present these. Because that person is a potential buyer. And my job is to sell it.

'I'm glad if I can sell an article. It is a reward for me, if I can sell a nice piece. This means that I'm good at my job.'
She has worked in the store for five years, says 50 per cent of the clientele come from abroad and that a bag costing nearly £25,000 is sold 'only a few times a year.'
Asked what she would say to Oprah now she added: 'I would apologize and say it was all a misunderstanding. I surely did not intentionally want to insult Ms. Winfrey. I hope this nightmare ends soon.'






Read more: Oprah Winfrey branded 'a liar' by Swiss sales assistant in racist handbag row | Mail Online

[greysfang]

That explanation is very very weak.

[Novice]

I get ignored at stores here in Mississippi, so you know I look terrible! Ha ha! I'm always, like, "please bitches, what do you have to be so snobby about anyway? You're working at a clothing store in Jackson, ffs." Sorry, that's my inner snob going off. She keeps me going through shopping hell

Haha! I live in a rural area & when I go to the local shops in my 'dog walking' clothes I never have a problem. When I go into the city in them, its the usual urbanit-stuff, however, my wellies probably cost more than their whole outfit so...... I tend to be running to the bank & Marks' food hall if I still have my outdoor clothes on so maybe I don't go in the 'right' places or am rushing so I don't notice?

[lurkur]

Poor, poor Oprah.

[rockchick]

Well the "shopgirl" sure has a different version of events. I think I'll withhold judgment until more info is out. Wouldn't a ritzy store like that have video to prove who's telling the truth here?

[dksnj]

This is the store owner. With those fugly pants, her sales associates shouldn't make any assumptions by the way people dress!

[witchcurlgirl]

Well the "shopgirl" sure has a different version of events. I think I'll withhold judgment until more info is out. Wouldn't a ritzy store like that have video to prove who's telling the truth here?

No, you MUST believe Oprah!!!!!!!

She is the almighty and would never lie or exaggerate or anything. She's a pillar of society, I mean, she gave us Dr. Phil!!!!



I think she's totally embellishing the real story 'cause her enormous ego got bruised when this woman didn't recognize her and immediately fall down fawning.

[sluce]

And even if they had video it will never see the light of day. It's much easier for them to apologize, pay off the shop girl, and move on. Publically humiliating the big O would be costly.

[BoogsBun]

She does have that movie The Butler coming out....

[coolade]

This b*tch is always complaining about acts of racism committed against her. The whole world is so racist, yet she managed to start her successful career in the south (the most racist spot on the globe), get promotion after promotion in a field known for being mostly old, white men, and create an empire through her show and magazine (watched and read by many a white woman). I get it, there is racism everywhere depending on the person, but quit complaining...the world and its inhabitants have been pretty f'ing kind to you.