Brandy Melville - Flagship — Local services in New York

Hello facebook I wanna bring attention to the racial discrimination I have faced at my workplace. I am a former employee of a clothing company called "Brandy Melville". I recently got "laid off". To start, they hire you in based on how you look. If you go into one of their stores you will see mostly white employees. When applying, the interview process consists of asking for your instagram and taking a picture of you. If you don't fit the look they immediately throw out your application. Regardless of skills, experience, etc. After the summer, a lot of the employees left because most went back to school and others went back home. Leaving the store with a predominantly ethnic staff. Which isn't Brandy Melvilles "look". (if you go on their website or Instagram you'll see what I'm talking about) The owner, Stephan Marson, moved to New York to keep and eye on the New York stores. Im under the assumption that he came in and didn't see the look he had desired for Brandy and decided to "lay off" me and another black employee. Their claim being "We don't have the funds, we have to fire multiple people". Okay. Understandable? Explain this; I've been working for this company for 8 months, at minimum wage ($11 per hour). Less than two weeks ago they hired a new girl, tall blonde, beautiful girl don't get me wrong, but nonetheless she is Brandy's "look". They started her at $13 an hour and guess what? No lay off for her. They put all the minorities (black and Spanish) in stock, which is in the basement. They can't be seen otherwise it would mess up the Brandy Melville "All American" image. There are no white girls who work in stock, not one. While working here I've been a witness to how my skin is different from the other sales girls. More times than not, I would go on register to help and then get replaced with a white employee. I quote from the former store manager "Stephan wants a certain 'look' on register, that's why we hire models". That also being the reason why they didn't give the black sales girls register accounts. (Every white girl gets an account on their first day) One of the managers last name Dolgin has been accused of being a racist on multiple occasions. One time in particular, she racially profiled a customer and the customer reported her. Dolgin still has her job. There has been times where she had told all the white employees to stay on the floor and maintain while the black employees do go backs(go backs consist of going in the basement and putting the clothes from the dressing room back on the floor) which to me isn't fair at all. A black girl would come in looking for a job, and she would put them down as stock based on there complexion. It's isn't fair what this company has done to me and what they're continuing to do to others. ALSO After laying me off they hired 5 more girls, 3 white and 2 Asian. They care more about their image and cash turnover than they do about their employees AND customers. I would never shop at this store again and I'd advise all my black girls not to either!! Help me by sharing my story. #BoycottBrandyMelville. Brandy Melville New York Brandy Melville USA The Shade Room...

First time writing a review, and it's a shame that it has to be about a terribly poor experience I had here just hours ago. I've been shopping with BM for years, and almost always had a poor experience just from security following me, especially as the only POC in the store. However, today the security felt the need to accuse me of stealing when I walked around for not even 10 minutes and didn't touch a thing.

As I was leaving, the security asked to see my receipt, I told him, "For what," since I didn't purchase anything, and then demands to search my bag. Security then points to a sign behind him that states, "All bags are subject to search," and says I have to comply, while stating thats the law. Feeling immediately attacked, I told him to call local law enforcement if he feels that I am stealing. Then their "manager," comes over, just to tell me "it's nothing personal." The guard couldn't even tell me why I was "suspicious-looking" without being flustered, and it was because I was carrying a large tote. While another security guard was beside him, deeming it necessary to yell at me, saying that I am wasting his time since I refused. As girls are exiting the store, who was white with much larger bags than me, I asked him why he didn't check their bags, and he replied with "just because." Keep in mind that this doesn't even describe half of the aggressive behavior I received, from these two grown men.

By law, retail establishments are not permitted to search your belongings without your consent, and you have every right to decline this search. LP (loss prevention) does not hold any authority or warrant, to search your belongings, even if they are suspicious of you stealing. The most they can do is detain you if they have valid reasoning with proof, and contact local law enforcement to escalate the situation.

I also informed the guards and manager of this, and they simply invalidated me, and kept getting angrier. This information is literally the law, so be aware that this staff has no idea how to properly do their jobs and the lawful procedures of bag checks. I only showed my bag at the end because I got exhausted of being accused and wanted to leave.

Their incompetent training proves that Brandy Melville racially profiles their customers, and several other reviews confirmed this reflection. If the LP feels that it's acceptable to abuse their very little power to intimidate young teenage girls, which is the targeted demographic shoppers here, then I can only imagine how the upper management chain must really feel.

Please, save your time and money from this company, not worth being part of a retail stop and frisk...

Not very familiar with this brand — or this store to be honest. But there was an African-American lady there whom I assumed was the manager. I was there to take some pictures for my girlfriend because she likes the brand and I wanted her to pick up a few items. Was taking pictures of products on the shelf when this lady came up to me and told me to stop. Now I assumed I because I was one of the only male customers there and I was not accompanied by anyone else, plus the store was somewhat crowded I may have looked suspicious, which I understood and told her that I was only taking pictures to send to my gf for purchase. She nodded and let me move on.

Now, when I came near the jewelry section to take some pictures, she stopped me again. This time I stopped taking pictures and apologized to her. Since I was pretty much finished at this point I went up to her and apologized again for any trouble I may have caused. Now up until this point I didn’t really have a problem with what she did.

She then proceeded to accuse me of “coming here everyday and taking photos” I was dumbfounded by the accusation as this has been my first time in this store. I was a tourist visiting here. I quickly told her that she misunderstood and I was not the person she was talking about. I then offered to show her pictures that I took to prove that I was, in fact, not taking pictures of other people. I then showed her my camera roll. She then decided it was not enough and basically demanded to see my chat history. I was angry at this point but still decided to show her the chat history to prevent any trouble. After seeing that I did not take pictures of others, she proceeded to ignore me and did not apologize.

according to my own research there has been plenty of pictures posted online of store products, so it was obvious that the store did not have an “no camera” policy. There has even been faces of rude employees posted online. Now I am wondering why I was treated with such disrespect. I understand the need for caution in crowded retail spaces, but to be falsely accused, interrogated, and treated like a threat for simply taking product photos was deeply humiliating. I was calm and cooperative the entire time. Yet I was met with hostility and assumptions instead of a basic level of professionalism or decency. I did not even receive a basic apology from the lady.

This experience left a really bad impression on me, not just of this store, but of the brand as a whole. I came in with good intentions and left feeling targeted. Definitely won’t be returning to any locations by this brand and I’ll be warning others about...