Anthropologie comes under fire for 'racial profiling' black customers

Anthropologie has been criticised for allegedly "racial profiling" customers
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Emily Lawford11 June 2020

Former employees of boutique clothing store Anthropologie have claimed the company instructed them to watch and use a code name for black shoppers.

Anthropologie, which is owned by Urban Outfitters, came under fire this week after former staffers commented on the brand’s Black Lives Matter post on Instagram about their own experience working for the company.

Anthropologie posted an excerpt from a poem by Maya Angelou on June 1 in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which read: “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value, no matter what their colour.”

However, former staffers responded to the post criticising the company for racist practices.

“I dealt with racism working at Anthropologie the WHOLE time,” one person wrote. “This post doesn’t do enough.

Several ex-staffers commented that they had been instructed to watch follow black customers in stores, and had used the code name “Nick” to identify black customers.

“I worked at Anthropologie and the racial profiling was sickening,” they added. “So many times the management told us to watch people of colour over the headsets and I refused to follow around mostly black people who were just minding their own damn business and respectfully shopping. Please change.”

Another responded: “I worked for Anthro from 2007-2010 and we got the same “training”. It was prevalent throughout Southern California from what I’ve heard. Disappointing to hear nothing has changed in over a decade.”

An additional ex-employee added: “I thought Chicago was the only one who used ‘Nick’ as a form of saying ‘watch that black woman who just walked in."

One commenter said they had worked for the company in three different states across the USA – in Washington, New York and California, and was also instructed to use the code name “Nick”.

Several black women commented on the post, saying they were followed while shopping in Anthropologie.

“I was followed by one of your sales associates in your Harbor East Baltimore store for no reason,” one person wrote. “The sales associate told me that her managers told her to do so! You are part of the problem.”

One person commented: “Better practices in your stores can be a great start. I’ve been followed in your stores before. The last straw was 4/2/2019. I couldn’t reconcile giving my money to an employee who never greeted me yet followed me on my birthday. I haven’t been back since. I like your clothes, candles, books and store ambiance, but being followed in a store will never make it worth it. Please work on this.”

“I loved Anthro, but I couldn’t justify spending my money while being followed throughout the store," one Instagram user wrote. "I gave them a second chance months later and it happened again. I was never greeted but I was followed? How? Do better @anthropologie.”

Anthropologie then posted a black square for #BlackOutTuesday on Instagram, saying “We’re listening. We’re learning.”

The brand then posted another Instagram, laying out pledges to support the black community by donating $100,000 to The United Negro College Fund. It also said it would work to diversify its staffers, models, and influencers.

The brand promised to “continue to educate our teams in pursuit of a culture said better values and respects this diversity” with anti-discrimination training.

In the brand's latest Instagram post made yesterday evening, Anthropologie denied allegations of racial profiling. “We have never and will never have a code word based on a customer’s race or ethnicity,” it wrote.

“Our company has a zero-tolerance policy regarding discrimination or racial profiling in any form.

“Employees who do not adhere to this policy are subject to disciplinary action, which may include termination.”

“They added: “We support and stand with the Black community.

“We are listening, learning, and reflecting on how we, as a brand, can improve diversity and combat racism.

“We are committed to doing better – to being better.”

The Evening Standard has reached out to Anthropologie for comment.

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