Josephine Robinson Sues Gucci Over Alleged Racist Practices

Josephine Robinson, a former tax lawyer for Gucci, is suing the fashion house for $5 million in damages after supposedly being subjected to racist comments and complaining about the treatment, allegedly resulting in her firing last year, the New York Post reports.

Robinson, who identifies as a "dark-skinned West Indian Latina," also claims that she was told to pilfer more money from pop Rihanna, who posed for the brand back in 2008, after her superiors found out that the pop star was from Barbados. The Post writes:

Robinson says she was working on Rihanna's contract with the Italian fashion house in 2008 when she got the shocking directive from her boss, international tax counsel Stan Sherwood.

"When Sherwood discovered that Rihanna was from a Caribbean island, he told Robinson to 'tax the hell out of her' and find a way to allow Gucci to withhold 30 percent of her fee," according to Robinson's suit.

And from a press release:

"Ms. Robinson's allegations are well documented in emails and taped conversations," said Lenard Leeds, another of her lawyers.

[...]

Robinson, claims in her suit that Gucci America assistant general counsel Stefania Sicari advised her that if she continued to complain about harassment or discrimination, "you are asking to be fired." Sicari, according to the suit, also told Robinson that Gucci "has a high tolerance for racism."

[...]

Robinson claimed Sherwood often referred to her "cheap day labor," called her a "loose woman" and told interns that he picked her off the street. He also is alleged to have called her a prostitute, according to the suit.

She further alleged that Sherwood complained of receiving unfavorable accommodations at a corporate retreat in Italy, because of her race and frequently referred to her as "black, very very black."

A spokeswoman for Gucci told the Post, "Ms. Robinson's allegations are completely baseless, and the company will defend itself vigorously against this meritless litigation. The company is confident that it will prevail."

(Via Styleite)

Comments

[Edison Saldano]

03:38 AM on 06/10/2011

So what's new in the world !

[Lucille]

09:16 PM on 06/09/2011

People have no idea what Black people particularly Black women suffer on the job. Black men suffer too but speaking as Black women this type of behavior goes on all the time in the workplace and some Black women just internalize the abuse while a few of us sue.

I’m not an attorney but I worked in law firms and was able to (without an attorney’s help), write my complaint to the EEOC, Responded to Defendant’s Reply (including exhibits), cooperated with the federal agent who investigated and who toured the workplace. My ace in the hole was that I had everything documented as these racists assumed I was too stupid to save e-mails and other pertinent documents, and I had witnesses at the ready to testify (Black women who were fired or left the firm due to its behavior), but ultimately a stipulation was reached (by that time I had a lawyer, but I wish I hadn’t, long story), I did get paid something and Defendant also fired individual in management who discriminated, harassed and retaliated against me for complaining as well.

This behavior by Gucci happens every day, some of you truly have no idea what Black people, particularly Black women on the job endure.

[stargazer13]

11:31 AM on 06/09/2011

the Indian tax is alive and well also !!

know a store owner who does this or did when I worked there !
I did quit that job and told the locals beware when you buy there !

she told me to add to the price of every thing native people bought !
unethical so unethical she was :(

[daniele7ster]

07:29 PM on 06/08/2011

This headline is misleading. Seems as if the tax had more to do with Caribbean tax laws, not the fact that Rhianna is black.

[Absolute]

02:46 PM on 06/08/2011

The black tax is alive and well.

[Nanaama]

04:13 AM on 06/08/2011

And he did not call her a" murderer"? That is surprising, since he called her everything else under the sun.. What a load of BS. A black Caribbean lady who can not even bear to refer to herself as black.

[nsgo123]

10:52 AM on 06/08/2011

I think they are talking about Josephine Robinson, not Rhianna.

[TriniDva]

02:55 PM on 06/08/2011

They/she did not say she was not "black", they described her as "black latina". Many people in the Caribbean are people of color. The mixture of races is actually common in the Caribbean. I am from Trinidad & Tobago, and mixed with black, Scottish, and Venezuelan. In the US, I am black, but I select "Other" on forms. This is not a way to deny my Black/African roots, but to acknowledge my racial makeup.

[darkelflass]

10:33 PM on 06/08/2011

And I think you are right to do so.

[muadibe]

10:32 AM on 06/09/2011

Tobago is one of my favorite places ever. What a paradise. Went scuba diving in Speyside and just LOVE Charlotteville.

[sheikwil4]

09:15 PM on 06/07/2011

Thias is why I don't spend my hard earned money on Designer stuff because someone elses name on my butt doesn't make me famous or line my pockets. I almost kicked my son out out my home when he was in high school becaue he insisted on buying only Designer clothes especially Tommy Hilfinger back in the day, these people dogg out the AA community about buying their closthes, yet they spend more money on the crap than the average American. Everytime I go to church and see all these highly educated women with their Gucci, Dolce and Cabana purses and any other Designer crap, I almost want to scream and kick their butts, but they don't get a dime of my money and I refuse to let my son bring that crap into my house when he would buy it. I told him to keep it in his car or anywhere else beside my house where I paid the mortgage and made his take his stuff to the dry cleaners and the local laundry mat rather than use my washer and dryers to do his laundry.

[Gail Cooper]

06:31 PM on 06/07/2011

If Ms. Robinson's allegations are true, the arrogance of Gucci is "mind boggling"! It's no secret that "racism and elitism" are well entrenched within the fashion industry. Who do they think buys their products??? The very people they "TURN THEIR NOSES UP AT" and "DISCRIMINATE AGAINST"??? In this "BAD" economy, nobody is dependent upon their "high end" products, PERIOD!!! They're certainly not the only game in town!!! If Rihanna's been cheated, I hope she SUES THEM INTO THE GROUND, TOO!!! I wonder if Gucci's "tolerance" for "LITIGATION" is just as high as their penchant for "DISCRIMINATION"!!!

[fredimessina]

01:33 PM on 06/07/2011

Shocker. The only black at Gucci is the clothes. Dolce and Gabbana as well.

[copelli21]

10:28 AM on 06/07/2011

Ye old black tax......nothing new. We're still paying it.

[WoodsideCraig]

10:25 AM on 06/07/2011

Nice picture. I didn't know that Rhianna was in the new X-Men movie. What's her superpower?

[edgraham]

11:25 AM on 06/07/2011

Are you kidding?

Look at the picture again.

[WoodsideCraig]

05:40 PM on 06/07/2011

Yes, I'm kidding. With her unnaturally red hair and what looks to be a Star Trek tunic, she looks like she just stepped away from filming a sci fi movie.

[ICarr]

10:12 AM on 06/07/2011

I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation for all this ..... eye rolling....

[ScarlettMocha]

09:36 AM on 06/07/2011

Another example of why we need our own.

[Mizz Givens]

04:06 PM on 06/08/2011

No, we don't need our own. We need to hold our communities to a higher standard, and if people are racist and foul, vote with your feet and your dollars.

[darkelflass]

10:35 PM on 06/08/2011

Damn skippy. Gucci? Nada. D&G? No way. Also, I don't like their clothes or accessories.

[ScarlettMocha]

10:18 AM on 06/09/2011

Good comment, but I beg to differ. I believe we need our own because many times we are not welcome in a majority establishment/venue, especially groups of our young. If we had our own, we could enjoy each other without feeling suspect or unwanted. Ownership also delivers pride and reinforces the "can-do" spirit. Seeing someone like you succeed helps young ppl believe they too can succeed. I'm not saying we need to be separatist, I'm merely saying we need to build a strong home base.

I totally agree we do need to hold our communities to a higher standard and that we should not tolerate racist behavior. But a strong community voting together could send a loud unified message.

Love and respect to you in the struggle.

[alicam]

11:38 PM on 06/08/2011

Yes, we do.

[Fortune27]

08:28 AM on 06/07/2011

Having lived and traveled in Europe for several years, I can say from experience that America isn't the only country that has major issues of racism. After all in the not too distant past it was Europeans who trotted all over Africa, India and Asia exploiting, selling and terrorizing people of color. Old habits and belief systems die hard - if ever.

[Jlbeaverton]

02:23 AM on 06/07/2011

I'm working on a design project for a EU company and had to send them certification of my Inc. Status from the us government or they would have withheld 33% of my royalties/advances.
So perhaps it's just standard practic for individuals to be taxed that amount when dealing w EU unless your a corporation?