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Oprah refused entry at hermes store
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Jacque Marcel
army of lovers
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Oprah has never played the race card in her long career and she doesn't have a diva reputation unlike certain celebrities(JLO, MARIAH). She felt she wasn't given good or any service because of her race/appearance, so she won't shop there anymore. And when you're a minority, like myself, you know when you're being discriminated at.
This is my opinion, as somebody that has actually worked retail. I hate the stupid customers that come in when we're closed. I don't give a crap about what race they are, african/asian/european/whatever, the most annoying thing ever is when a customer tries to come in when you're closed (or should be closed). Legally, we're not allowed to refuse entry to anyone or close the doors or ask anyone to leave until the last customer has left the store. If I had been working a long shift, and still had to clean up for a big event in a few hours, I'd do anything legal to get the store closed faster. So if, in France, its legal to refuse entry when the store is closed yet people are still in the store... I'm going to have to say I'd be siding with Hermes.
stylegurrl
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Venusia said:
Superb article. Thanks for posting.
Diorling said:
i think we all have agreed that we don't know the whole story. i don't think we've agreed that oprah was at fault therefore these 8 pages of "ranting" are worthless.
Diorling said:
hmm.
i can't afford a $6,500 bag, no - and dount i'd spend that kind of money on a Hermes bag, even if i could. before and after this event with Oprah, their bags weren't my cup of tea. but i can afford a bottle of "24, Faubourg" and i have the receipts to prove it.
where do you think Chanel makes its money? its perfumes - and, to a lesser extent, its makeup and skincare. i have been trying for weeks to track down "Un Jardin Sur Le Nil," Ellena's second fragrance as Hermes new perfumer. so, because i am passionate about perfume and everything perfume related, i have been a Hermes client.
if i find out that they practice racism in their stores, i might reconsider spending my money there, and there may be many working-class perfume fans who feel the same way. so, unless hermes makes all of its money from $6500 bags, we might be customers that hermes should care about.
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secondly said:
i hear you. i worked restaurants and retail from age 15 to my mid twenties, and again part time when i went to grad school. and i HATED those customers who kept me from my life just because they couldn't get it together to buy socks 10 minutes earlier.
but although i'm not generally starstruck, if it was oprah i'd be fetching her socks myself!
Didn't the story say that both sides denied the racism, and it wasn't about Oprah's hair. It was about her arriving after the store was closed, so don't we know the story?meme527 said:i think we all have agreed that we don't know the whole story. i don't think we've agreed that oprah was at fault therefore these 8 pages of "ranting" are worthless.
hmm.
i can't afford a $6,500 bag, no - and dount i'd spend that kind of money on a Hermes bag, even if i could. before and after this event with Oprah, their bags weren't my cup of tea. but i can afford a bottle of "24, Faubourg" and i have the receipts to prove it.
where do you think Chanel makes its money? its perfumes - and, to a lesser extent, its makeup and skincare. i have been trying for weeks to track down "Un Jardin Sur Le Nil," Ellena's second fragrance as Hermes new perfumer. so, because i am passionate about perfume and everything perfume related, i have been a Hermes client.
if i find out that they practice racism in their stores, i might reconsider spending my money there, and there may be many working-class perfume fans who feel the same way. so, unless hermes makes all of its money from $6500 bags, we might be customers that hermes should care about.
Anyways, you do have a point about the fragrances but to be honest Hermes isn't very well known and I dont think most customers would make the connection. Thier logo isn't instantly recognizable and most people still say Hermes like the Greek god, someone would expect a very French word, not an orange horse and cart.
Judging by Hermes lack of advertising I dont think they would care very much about any bad press.
secondly said:
Exactly!! If I was a regular customer at some boutique and I saw a VIP being given special treatment that was not accorded to REGULAR customers like myself, that would rub me the wrong way too.
Until someone can clarify that a racist statement was made, my interpretation of this story remains that a powerful influential celebrity was miffed for not getting the usual VIP treatment that she's used to.
I was invited to the special evening presentation of the Autumn-Winter 2005 pret-a-porter collection at the faubourg store on the evening of the 14th of June. My sales assistant said that it was a bi-annual event for their best customers an occasion when they close the store to the public and decorate it all for a proper soiree with nibbles and champagne. I chose not to go but if I was invited I am sure there were plenty of others invited too and that would go part of the way to explain the store being crowded after opening hours or perhaps the crowds were sales associates or caterers preparing for the event.
In truth, I find it refreshing that unlike in the UK say at Harrods or in the States - Paris doesn't crawl up to stars by keeping its stores open late for celebrity shoppers. It's more respectful to their non-celeb clients and their sales associates. If the store closes at 6.30 pm - which it always does even though the rest of the designer boutiques in Paris typically close at 7 pm - it closes at 6.30 pm. I am sure if Oprah had turned up an hour or even half an hour earlier she would have been welcomed.
In truth, I find it refreshing that unlike in the UK say at Harrods or in the States - Paris doesn't crawl up to stars by keeping its stores open late for celebrity shoppers. It's more respectful to their non-celeb clients and their sales associates. If the store closes at 6.30 pm - which it always does even though the rest of the designer boutiques in Paris typically close at 7 pm - it closes at 6.30 pm. I am sure if Oprah had turned up an hour or even half an hour earlier she would have been welcomed.
So she was humiliated because the waters didn't part for her like they normally do - big deal. She didn't have a Hermes watch to impress Tina Turner with - next time, don't wait til the last minute to do your gift shopping.
What I dislike most about this is the way Oprah chose not to comment about it herself, but rather "Tune in September to get Oprah's reaction!" Ultimately, it's all about self-promotion. And, the threat of revenge, I might add. It's practically an invitation to Hermes to dig deep in their pockets in order to stop her from doing the show. So they donate to a worthy cause and then Oprah is very grateful and from her lofty perch, forgives them - It was all a misunderstanding after all.
Call me a cynic, but...
What I dislike most about this is the way Oprah chose not to comment about it herself, but rather "Tune in September to get Oprah's reaction!" Ultimately, it's all about self-promotion. And, the threat of revenge, I might add. It's practically an invitation to Hermes to dig deep in their pockets in order to stop her from doing the show. So they donate to a worthy cause and then Oprah is very grateful and from her lofty perch, forgives them - It was all a misunderstanding after all.
Call me a cynic, but...
The 8 pages of ranting was not a wasted affort.
The 8 pages was based on infomation that was available to us- and to the press. I think that is why we are all applauding Venusia for her post.
I have worked in Fashion / Retail industry for over 12 years. When Mrs. So & So (reg client- non famous person) stopped be the shop after hours - we made sure she was accomodated.
There are ways about it.
*They could have let her in to shop- and charge her later. I bet they have her credit card infomation on file.
While Mrs $o & $o shops, as a professional you can courteously and diplomatically informing Mrs. SO & SO that the store is in fact closed. but since we value her .......
Get my drift. It is business afterall.
As I mentioned before- It would have been EXCELLENT PR for Hermes if the people they were expecting for the party- saw the world most powerful celebrity (Forbes magazine 2005) shopping. It's not a bad look.
IMO
If these luxury brands are known for going above and beyond for there clients- who send enormous amounts- they become "spoiled" and expect it. You teach people how YOU want to be treated.
That's just my .02
I cant wait till Sept.
The 8 pages was based on infomation that was available to us- and to the press. I think that is why we are all applauding Venusia for her post.
I have worked in Fashion / Retail industry for over 12 years. When Mrs. So & So (reg client- non famous person) stopped be the shop after hours - we made sure she was accomodated.
There are ways about it.
*They could have let her in to shop- and charge her later. I bet they have her credit card infomation on file.
While Mrs $o & $o shops, as a professional you can courteously and diplomatically informing Mrs. SO & SO that the store is in fact closed. but since we value her .......
Get my drift. It is business afterall.
As I mentioned before- It would have been EXCELLENT PR for Hermes if the people they were expecting for the party- saw the world most powerful celebrity (Forbes magazine 2005) shopping. It's not a bad look.
IMO
If these luxury brands are known for going above and beyond for there clients- who send enormous amounts- they become "spoiled" and expect it. You teach people how YOU want to be treated.
That's just my .02
I cant wait till Sept.
You all probably know what happened... the media got a hold of this story and morphed it beyond recognition. After all, stories about celebrities being refused entry into posh boutiques just doesn't sell, but throw some racism into the mix and you get a completely different public reaction.
However, if this whole debaucle was based on racial discrimination, it was probably an isolated incident. Although, I know that some stores, such as those along Rodeo Drive used to have an unwritten policy where they wouldn't service, or at least attend to the services of people who looked 'poor'. BUT, I'm not about to loosely translate what happened to Oprah on this one occassion into what happens to every Black customer at every Hermes store in the world.
I seriously doubt that Hermes is inherently racist in and of itself. Maybe it was those few sales associates who messed up. Maybe it wasn't even them... maybe it was, as some reports say, a misunderstanding and the media has just had a field day with it.
However, if this whole debaucle was based on racial discrimination, it was probably an isolated incident. Although, I know that some stores, such as those along Rodeo Drive used to have an unwritten policy where they wouldn't service, or at least attend to the services of people who looked 'poor'. BUT, I'm not about to loosely translate what happened to Oprah on this one occassion into what happens to every Black customer at every Hermes store in the world.
I seriously doubt that Hermes is inherently racist in and of itself. Maybe it was those few sales associates who messed up. Maybe it wasn't even them... maybe it was, as some reports say, a misunderstanding and the media has just had a field day with it.
fashionist
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modelmama said:
Maybe Hermes is trying to cultivate the image that they are so exclusive they don't need celebrities to buy their products and help with PR and promotion?
I have to agree that when a store reaches closing time it shouldn't have to let anyone else in, Oprah or not. It really irritates me when people make a big deal out of celebrities in stores, who cares? there are far more "unfamous" people who shop in the stores and are likely to constitute a much greater proportion of revenues, so why not give them the better treatment? Maybe Hermes have realised this, and that their customers prefer the "exclusivity" of that celeb-free environment. However if the "When she tried the door, they refused her entry because they have been 'having a problem with North Africans' lately…" comment is true, that's enough to make me never want to set foot in a Hermes Boutique.
Oh, and just as an aside to Meme "Un Jardin Sur Le Nil" isn't really that great of a fragrance, nowhere near as good as some of Hermes's others
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almost totally OT
thanks for the tip! did you read chandler burr's article on the creation of the fragrance in the New Yorker? it was a great article and now i HAVE to experience it myself, knowing the process that created it. even if i don't care for it, in the end....
re: oprah. until i hear more, i'm making space in my brain for other stuff....
like the new W magazine with brad + angelina that just came in the mail.......
fashionist said:Oh, and just as an aside to Meme "Un Jardin Sur Le Nil" isn't really that great of a fragrance, nowhere near as good as some of Hermes's others
thanks for the tip! did you read chandler burr's article on the creation of the fragrance in the New Yorker? it was a great article and now i HAVE to experience it myself, knowing the process that created it. even if i don't care for it, in the end....
re: oprah. until i hear more, i'm making space in my brain for other stuff....
like the new W magazine with brad + angelina that just came in the mail.......
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fashionist
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meme527 said:thanks for the tip! did you read chandler burr's article on the creation of the fragrance in the New Yorker? it was a great article and now i HAVE to experience it myself, knowing the process that created it. even if i don't care for it, in the end....
re: oprah. until i hear more, i'm making space in my brain for other stuff....
No i didn't unfortunately
, you should smell it yourself anyway as it might just be me that doesn't like it, as most of Hermes's other fragrances are delicious (not in a drinking way) 
I saw on tv Oprah s bestfriend Gale speaking about the incident and she said that Oprah would never play the race card but this time, it was about racism. She didn t go into the details but she said that Oprah s furious and that she most definitly will be speaking about it when she comes back from vacation in september.
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