Alexander McQueen and Kering Americas sued over racial discrimination

Iconic British fashion label Alexander McQueen and its parent company, Kering Americas Inc., have reportedly been sued by two employees in New York for racial discrimination.

The employees in question, Christopher Policard and Duane Davis who work at an Alexander McQueen store, filed the lawsuit in a New York state court in Manhattan last Wednesday. The suit files states that the fashion house has "engaged in systematic racism against Kering’s African-American employees" and systemically refuses "African-American job applicants who seek positions on the sales floor where they can be seen by customers or positions where they might have authority over the white employees, relegating the few African-Americans who are hired to menial positions behind the scenes."

The lawsuit reportedly goes on to states that the only time Policard and Davis are seen by customers when "Kering searches them for theft in front of other employees and customers, which is done on the floor during business hours. White employees, on the other hand, are screened for theft after closing and in private." The plaintiffs are said to be seeking monetary damages and attorneys fees from Kering Americas, as well as a ruling that their actions are in violation of the New York Human Rights Law.

Kering spokesman said the following on the lawsuit: "We – Alexander McQueen and Kering – take these allegations very seriously and we are investigating, however, we don’t comment on current litigations." Policard and Davis are not the first employees to file a lawsuit against Alexander McQueen for discrimination. In 2013, two employees from two separate Alexander McQueen stores in New York filed similar lawsuits.