When I was 16, I was awestruck at the sight of Carrie Bradshaw walking on the streets of Manhattan, shopping at Barney’s. I hoped that I, too, would get a chance to step in those Louboutins and walk on those streets, pulling out my credit card whenever and wherever I wanted. Nearly four years later, I’m older, wiser and have embraced the reality: I will never get a chance to step into that place, and the Marxist in me doesn’t even want to.
Furthermore, taking the store’s recent racial profiling scandal into account, I can safely say I wouldn’t want to shop there even if I had all the credit cards in the world — after all, as a Pakistani-Canadian, I’m not your average “white” female. Barney’s has received widespread media attention and criticism after allegations of racial profiling, and many have pledged to boycott the store entirely.
So, how did this mess get started? Several weeks ago, Trayon Christian, an 18 year-old African-American college student, purchased a $350 Salvatore Ferragamo belt at Barney’s. He was subsequently stopped by undercover police officers (called on by the sales clerk) who believed that the transaction was fraudulent.
Even after showing his debit card, receipt and personal identification, Trayon Christian was still not released, and claims he was detained by the NYPD for two hours. This is disputed by inspector Kim Royster, who claimed in an article for the International Business Times that he was only detained for 42 minutes.
Those who have argued that Trayon could have prevented this course of events are missing the point: no amount of identification or proof will save you from harassment in the case of institutional racism. Racists will do everything in their power to satisfy their mentality, which dictates that people of colour cannot possibly purchase expensive items, and, if they attempt do so, they should be harassed and embarrassed for it.
Racism is a problem that should not be belittled or ignored, no matter what the specifics are.
Consequently, Trayon Christian has returned the belt and been reimbursed in full. He is now suing Barney’s for unspecified damages. Following this, Barney’s released an official statement, saying: “Barney’s New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination. We are a strong proponent of equal rights and equal treatment for all human beings. Our mission is to ensure that all customers receive the highest-quality service — without exception.”
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Barney’s has been accused of discriminating against people of colour. Recently, 21 year-old Kayla Phillips was stopped by four undercover police officers after purchasing a $2,500 designer purse at Barney’s. Kayla told the Daily News that two officers attacked her and pushed her against the wall, while the other two appeared in front of her, blocking the turnstile. Phillips also pressed charges against Barney’s, as well as the NYPD.
Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion writer Robin Givhan, in a piece for the Washington Post, explains it accurately when she says, “The very act of shopping at Barneys is an expression of something beyond just a commercial exchange. And to have a police officer confront a teenager and a mom and say that they are not the people that their choices just confirmed them to be, to tell them that they do not belong — that they are fakers — is an insult that differs from: There’s a problem with your credit card.”
So, where exactly does Jay Z fit into this picture?
Hip-hop star Shawn Carter, known by his stage name Jay Z, is engaged in a highly publicized business collaboration with Barney’s. After the Trayon Christian incident, people began petitioning Jay Z to opt out of the deal, or at least respond with an appropriate response of outrage, disgust, and anger.
After several days, he released this statement: “I am against discrimination of any kind, but if I make snap judgements, no matter who it’s towards, aren’t I committing the same sin as someone who profiles? I am no stranger to being profiled and I truly empathize with anyone that has been put in that position. Hopefully this brings forth a dialogue to effect [sic] real change.”
Many are unconvinced — some have argued that Jay Z’s noncommittal and overdue response resulted from not wanting to give up potential profits, while the rapper has countered that some of the proceeds from the deal will be given to his philanthropic Shawn Carter Foundation.
Since the story has surfaced, online commenters across forums have argued that it’s hard to sympathize with someone wealthy enough to afford to shop at a store like Barney’s.
Several went on to argue that in different parts of the world today — even the United States — people are being deprived of many basic necessities, and the right to live with dignity, because of institutional racism; and that by comparison, it was hard for them to feel bad for privileged people treated poorly in a high-end a store.
What these comments miss is that racism is a problem that should not be belittled or ignored, no matter what the specifics are. No one is denying that prejudice affects people to different degrees, and that their stories need to come to light, but denying someone else their right to be treated respectfully and fairly is indefensible.
Barney’s New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination.”
– Official statement from Barney’s New York
These incidents continue to happen because racism is drilled into the mindsets of people by our society — change is inevitable, but painfully slow. Only eight months ago, Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by George Zimmerman; we all know how that story ended.
Racism remains prevalent, and it still exists in every facet of our lives. It is a good sign that people are taking action, that many have decided to boycott Barney’s in the future. The more that we take notice of and criticize these forms of racism, the closer we get to affording each individual the respect they deserve, regardless of race.
