Racism is Alive and Well and Its Home is in Retail

Learn how to spell. The word "its" in your title should not be hyphenated. "It's" is short for "it is". "Its" is the possessive.

The store was closed. It doesn't appear to have anything to do with race -- it appears to have to do with store hours. It must be a brutal wake-up call for Oprah to be treated like a normal person.

I don’t think this had anything to do with race. I am so tired of people always playing the race card. These high-end retailers are snobby to everyone, yes even Oprah, if they didn’t recognizer her. If I was to walk up the store, a white woman, and didn’t look like their typically type of client I know they would be rude to me. I know because I have tested this before at a high-end mall in New Jersey. I went shopping one day dressed to the nines with my designer hand bag and was treated very well. Shortly after, I went shopping at the same stores, but I didn’t have nice clothes on, no make up…and I was treated different, even rude. Most people get followed around the store, or should I say stocked, not because of the color of their skin but often times by their appearance (clothes we where, how we present our self). I am willing to bet if you went in those same stores that you felt harassed you and followed you around because you are black, and whore a fancy suite and looked good, they wouldn’t bother you, even if you were black. Stop playing the race card it gets very old.

Fast conmpany does it again, what a complete waste of time and space in your blog. Let's talk about business!!!! Not another celebrity scandal, what are you Star magazine for f-ing sake.

This is nonsense. Oprah is trying to manufacture a "Crash Moment" so she'll be able to pimp that movie out on her show. Fact 1) It was past closing time. Fact 2) The store was trying to prepare for an event. Fact 3) Oprah happens to be black If I were Hermes I would NEVER have apologized for enforcing store hours. Black or white I can't stand these whiny over indulged celebs.

Catherine: It appears your comment was meant to denigrate the writer. It is also likely you missed the substance of the author's point. Typical. E Smith: Sounds like you're a bit jealous of Oprah's success. It amazes me when I see people (probably like you) trip over other people to say, "Hello" to someone like Oprah when you see her doing everyday, "normal" activities. Don't hate. Heather: Stop complaining about the "race card." You get the bright idea of playing dress up for one day and determine you're an expert in sociology. Well, in the real world, African-Americans cannot remove their skin color for a shopping experience. How about you check your thoughts and actions when you're around people whose skin has been "kissed by nature's sun?" You might learn something. I suggest you 3 try helping other people who are less fortunate than you rather than criticizing someone else's perception of a rather unfortunate incident.

Fair enough, Catherine. Part of the appeal of blogging is the immediate nature of its journalism, publishing, and writing. In FC Now, we try to accommodate staff member's personal styles -- as well as the professional standards we use in everything we do. We don't edit or subject entries to an approval process, so occasionally, an error slips through. I've corrected the punctuation in the headline and thank you for your comments!

Chi-town: How about you step back from the soapbox and realize that missrepresenting a simple case of "store being closed" as a full blown "race card" play is just as denigrating to the "people who've been smoochied by the sun" as if the act actually happened the way it was represented... Is the author trying to say that being turned away because the of race is no different that being turned away from a closed store? "Your a racist! Let me in!" "But, ma'am, it's 2 am. We open in 8 hours.".... Doesn't sound quite right does it?

Kerry, Honestly, the more I read Fast Company blogs, the more I want to stick needles in my eyes, so I've refrained from it other than being summoned to particular posts by others. I respect them enough to read, not Fast Company. Between you and fellow-Fast Company blogger Kevin Ohannessian, Fast Company should really think about partnering up with Michael Moore for his latest rendition "Everyone's Out To Get You Because Your Not a White Male" due to be out in theaters next year and produced by someone that donates alot of cash to the Democratic Party. From my own experiences in France, they don't regard blacks with the distaste your refering to in the US, as it is a completely different Continent your using comparisons from. France, being much closer to Africa and far more liberal than the US, has less barriers to entry and thus allows Africans more opportunity to comfortably migrate, and France has a much greater percentage of blacks than you give it credit for, especially compared to the US. I'd give you the statistics but frankly I don't know why I'm wasting time writing this post, let alond doing research for pointless argument you won't open your eyes to anyway. It's (notice the use of "it" and "is" as a contraction) ignorant, naive, and down-right RACIST of you to prejudge the actions of white (or whatever color) workers who wouldn't reopen a store after hours (tell me you've not seen a store lock it's front door at closing-time with people still inside, having to unlock it for each customer after they've checked out and I'll tell you your a liar). I noticed you totally skated around the most obvious explanation as to why this happened, and although it's not as exciting and doesn't reinforce a diluted notion of yours that Everyone hates minorities, it could be the case: She's An American. Now that's some prejudging that's withstood the test of time and held true for me. Stopping false accusations will help stop the racist cycle; it starts with you.

Ophrah should buy the Hermes company, and fire the sales rep first, and then the upper management next. That company is living in the 18th Century!

No One You Know: You talk about misrepresentation and "store being closed" as if you were there. The "full blown race card" description is rich. No matter how significant (or insignificant!) the racial experience, the fact remains that people are and continue to be affected by negative racial bias. Soapbox or not, too many people exist in their pitiful lives without concern for others. This state of human existence is problematic and translates into apathetic attitudes with respect to insufficient education in poor communities, genocide in Darfur, and, oh yeah, negative racial biases.

Perhaps we often take ordinary rudeness on the part of an establishment or its employees out of context and label it racism. I do agree that racism exists, but in this case one would have to live in a cave to not know who Oprah is and a woman of Oprah's stature, I would think, should have informed them of her arrival if there was a hour conflict. I know from my travels to Paris, the majority of Parisians I dealt with were not all to fond of us Americans. Rude is Rude, it knows no color. But I believe that reporting an incident as racism when there is the possibility that it was not just fuels the racial segregation fire. We really do not need that. We are ALL in the same ship and we need to start rowing together.

Prejudging, as noted in the last post is beyond all of us. But that doesn't make all discussion on this irrelevant. We just need to know the facts, and, though the show will air in the fall, I doubt the company would do something like submit the video to public scrutiny or provide its own eye-witnesses. So we may never know the facts. There is one relevant fact though that makes Oprah's contention very plausible. The fact is racism, and to name it is not the same as whining about it. Naming it is the first step in fighting back. I say this because I notice all the folks weighing in against Oprah seem to have already decided to absolve the store. Oprah has not asked us to believe or disbelieve her. She's stating her case to her offenders. And we'll just wait, but not in the ignorance that would make her story seem so implausible as some folks here are couching it. Race is a fact that's not going away. But, if you aren't guilty of racism and you're tired of the broadstroke, then talk to the racists who paint you so badly, not the black people. I bet most people have no idea about the extent to which black people, in the (correct) spirit of choosing battles, have to watch the most subtle and the most bold-faced, race-based manouevers go unchecked - though not un-catalogued. So, don't see any of this as whining, but rather as saying out loud these difficult rules of engagement. The whining is from folks who aren't engaged or affected but who decry the "race card." In my experience as a black man, the race card is most often played by black people who are simply following suit. So, if spades lead, don't expect me to slough with my heart.

p.s. re:"Most people get followed around the store, or should I say stocked, not because of the color of their skin..." from Heather. Whew - God forbid that we be "stocked" again. I'll take being stalked over that any day. ...business is a funny funny thing, but never uncruel...

Eric, You made some valid comments that everyone can appreciate, and then you go and TOTALLY DESTROY any credibility and embarrass yourself and everyone you represent with a "second post" just to degrade someone for a "misspelling". It's one thing to throw in a silly-pun at someone's expense every now and again, but a classless "second post" to belittle a perfect stranger? NO CLASS Eric, no class. How do ever expect to get respect from others when you're creating reasons for them to disrespect you everyday... ...better stick to reading and leave the writing to the more mature adults until you can learn to behave yourself amongst others, hmmm...

I am by no means a racist, I happen to love Oprah, she's quite honestly the only celebrity I'd go out of my way to meet. Her history, her accomplishments, and the amount of good she puts into this world through charity are honestly just amazing to me. Hermes still, in my opinion, shouldn't have let her in, or felt the need to apologize for not letting her in. Her money/status shouldn't guarantee her special treatment. Period. Store hours are set, posted, and enforced at millions of retailers across the country. Not one of us here would have gotten in after hours, why should she? Just because she's black? Now THAT would have been racist...

Folks, let's avoid personal attacks, please. The facts remain: Oprah was turned away while others were shopping inside, the store apologized, Oprah remains dissatisfied. Is this just a stunt to promote her forthcoming movie? Did the clerks really not recognize her? (A slight on the brand called Oprah) Is Oprah overreacting? Did the clerks act offensively? Yes, celebrity privilege and entitlement come into play here, but there are also some interesting business issues.

“It’s” is not “hyphenated,” as Catherine says. That's an apostrophe, not a hyphen. And the form “it’s” is a contraction, not a hyphenation. Just thought Catherine would want some clarification on that.

Who the hell is Kerry-Ann Austin? And how does this hate see the light of day?

The second post, Robert, I wrote in response to the attitude, not the grammar and usage..."I am so tired of people always playing the race card." "Stop playing the race card it gets very old." I stooped. The pun I knew was not silly. It was cutting and true since we were once "stocked." I meant it in the moment I wrote it. I was hot. I wish you could feel the frustration, though it's no excuse. I apologize to you and to Heather. To your point, Heath, I meant the part about business being never uncruel as much as it is always amoral. This is the phenomenon that makes world business morbidly interesting, the fact that major decisions are still governed by whim, race being a big one. I wish we could insert whim factor into annual reports and not the impact on lines sold, locations of corporate headquarters (e.g. near the top exec's kids' private school), management selections, etc. The clerks only reflect what is common in business, and, in this case what is common in the way race is dealt with and expressed. That's just business and we must be prepared to deal with it if not in it.

dangerous second post, I know, but I think it's necessary. I do not "represent" anyone but myself. That is the thinking that would have me being a "credit to my race." Again, the true scary thought is how deep-seated the whims are and how they govern us, the whim in this case being counting one black voice as a spokesperson. I can speak to my experience as a black person without that title and without conflict.

Yay! I'm not wearing underwear!

if [ "A Closed Store" == "Racism" ]; then mv "Human Race" Hell_In_A_Hand_Basket; fi

the people that think it had nothing to do with race, or are sick of people using the race card are obviously white folks that will never understand whats like being a minority.

Of course! It's racism that keeps Oprah out of a store! I didn't see it before! What would we do without online posting! I would love to hear some answers on the presence of aliens on earth living among us, because if you can determine the racism of a particular troupe of allegedly snobby retail people in France (assuming you don't live next door to them), I am really, really impressed. Now that's I've ticked off the racism-sayers, a point: What kind of moron would not have immediately turned on their decision and let the most-high Oprah into the Hermes store, or let in anyone else with the reported entourage she had (assuming only "important" people wander around in entourages), unless it was for -- God forbid -- a reason that had absolutely nothing to do with who Oprah is. I mean what kind of an idiot would turn away a person with such ready access to the media for such a banal reason as racism? Oprah Winfrey, merely because of her notoriety, being a victim of racism (I mean a real victim), is about as likely as Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes having synchronized gender-change operations. Oprah's being dealt racism from salespeople, how rich. Oh, it must be the case. How could it not be? Racism is rarely flayed out there for spurious effect, after all. Yay for Oprah's publicity people -- toss that race card every chance you get! Or maybe it wasn't them who started this rabble. Oprah not being able to prevent the racism card being dealt over not getting in the door of a purse store is as pathetic. Apparently it's still OK for any black people to have a shameful knee-jerk reaction to anyone doing anything that doesn't make them the priority. All sniveling duels about semantics aside, blacks above anyone should recognize that the racism card belongs only to legitimate claims, and every low-brow claim of it simply implores mankind to reject any legitimate claim as crying wolf. Such things minimize the legitimacy of everything civil rights represent. I have experienced a long list of bad treatment over the last three years of my life that, oh my goodness, I've had to swallow. I've had to accept being ripped off, fired, verbally abused and emotionally attacked by my boss at a Tribune Company property (and s-xually harassed) and given no recourse for it, "laid off" from companies I helped start due to childish manipulation, denied all kinds of things simply because I am not wealthy, influential, merciless and fearsome. I've been dumped on, to be succinct. It far exceeds not getting into a closed store especially catering to all the snobs on earth. Oprah will kill off this racism twaddle, or she's no star in my mind at all. Any admiration I may have had for her will no longer exist. She'll simply be a self-centered, shallow hack with lots of money, for whom I will pray for an ample pile of humiliation to put her in her place.

I gotta say, being a minority white person -- third generation Swede with no hopes for a really sweet job because my daddy's not rich or influential -- these folks that obsess over the fact they are a minority are using it as a crutch for being less than they could be. I am a victim of an unspoken kind of inequity. I can't find a job because I've lost patience with racists, psychopaths, office cliques, numbsculled cheerleaders, butt-kissers, and other wantonly ineffective business types. After ten years, I've turned to freelancing, short of deciding to give up completely and work for Fast Company (OK, that's a joke) -- really, short of working at a convenience store, which I am highly unsuited to. It is you, the whining among us, who judge whitey as somehow the cause of all your troubles, who demean your race, not the average whitey. If you don't believe it, well, what can I say? You'll amount to very little if your focus on being downtrodden isn't turned off and rewired to actually doing something with yourself. You're probably among that list of people who have gotten me to give up ever being a corporate employee ever again, because I see it as giving up being a human being who can respect myself, at this point. So, thank you, whining minorities, for putting me down. Oh wait, is this about Oprah? I'm sorry, I thought this was a thread for people who despise crybabies. Oh, silly me -- it's the same thing, it appears after this Hermes story.

Umm...how is "Oprah" overreacting when "Oprah" hasn't even made a statement about this. All we have heard from is her "friends" or various newspaper writers and bloggers who love to blow things out of proportion. You people need to calm down and get a grip. I don't think Oprah is losing any sleep about not being let into some ridiculously snobby Parisian handbag shop. Be serious. Make the most of life

I'm sad to report that I put my underwear back on. Game over. :(

Just like my MAMA always said... They ain't NO better than we are in the eyes of GOD... and they take off their pants to pee just like we do..One leg at a time. WHO cares? Hollywood is so faux... Tell her to shop online.Nobody closes, nobody cares what color you are, or if anyone ever knew ya!

If one is going to be pedantic, one should be careful about the knowledge they choose to impart.Apostrophes have nothing to do with "spelling". They have to do with "punctuation". I also don't care for the bossy, schoolmarmish, rude comment, "Learn to spell," as a way to begin a post.

I happened across this blog online and felt compelled to post my comments... This unfortunate incident could, in fact, happen to anyone. Having lived, worked and studied in Paris, I've witnessed high-end (and low-end) stores turn people away DURING store hours. Each person snubbed had one thing in common: in the eyes of the retail staff, the person did not "look" as though they could afford to shop there. French retail staff in high-end stores can often be very snobby, applying a "no-soup-for-you" attitude towards anyone who does not "match" their image of what the "target market" should look like. It doesn't make it right, nor does it feel good when it happens (I've been a victim too, sigh). One lesson learned: Black or white, rich or poor, celebrity or average Joe: if you're in Paris and you plan on shopping at Dior or Louis Vuitton, you would do well to dress the part! The other issue in Oprah's case is that the store was closing. In France, it is not standard practice to open the doors to customers past established business hours. This is not to say that in France discrimination based on race does not exist, because it does just as it does in the US. In fact, it could very well be possible that, in addition to the obvious lack of customer service exhibited by the Hermes retail staff person, race played a factor in Oprah's experience. What if it were Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes? Would they have been let in? Possibly, but we'll never know. The difficulty this case, as in many cases, is in being able to accurately define, identify and label actions, decisions and/or comments of an individual, company or organization as being racist. Was this racism or standard business practice? Lastly, a general statement to everyone: if we could all base our interactions with each other on mutual respect, discussion threads of this sort would not even be necessary. The truth is, on a human level, we are the same. It is what we EXPERIENCE as human beings that is different. I may not have the same life experiences as you, but that does not make your life's experience any less realistic or true as my own. Think about that.

You make an excellent point Mademoiselle Bates - it could happen to anyone at the foot of snooby Parisians. Nevertheless, that point fails the logic test for your implicit conclusion. Yes, it could happen to anyone. But that does not conflict with the possiblity that it could also still be blatant racism. On the other point, the store closing, you're giving credit not based on fact. We should neither believe Oprah nor Hermes base on the information available to all of us - hearsay. Thus the difficulty that you came close to stating but didn't hold your ground on is not "was this racism or standard business practice?" but rather a question of plausibility of the accounts per speculation on our part, the folks here talking about it. On those grounds the facts and reality lean toward the possibility of both racist treatment and snobby Parisianism but don't rule out one or the other and certainly don't rule out (as you have done here) the harmonious intersection between snobby Parisians and racism. I've experienced that. So, would you really be shocked at that intersection? If we take out the emotion and recognize the fact of racism and it's probable expressions then these things would not be so complicated...until we got around to figuring out how to cure the situation. Many of my friends in business and otherwise are racists by their actions, but I won't spend time addressing every affront. Perhaps Oprah shouldn't here - there being much more pressing problems than failed Hermes adventures. But what makes Oprah's situation valid to discuss is that she should be the very wake up call to the world based on the fact that class and money do not erase color. Pigmentocracy reigns. There are close cousins of this race phenomenon, too - e.g. dye my hair blonde to make my life easier. Some blacks have spent their money on trying to erase blackness from the eyes of peers (not referring to Oprah) only to find out that there is not enough money when dealing with the folks who would even dream of holding it against you. So you make friends with unwitting racists and let them move in their comfortable sphere, e.g. feel enlightened because they have a good friend who is black, knowing that trying to address the fundamentals would be hopeless, but also that a reasonable existence is possible and that over time we may actually get to know each other as simply people. Back to business? This is business because business is people.

It is totally irresponsible of Oprah to play the race card, I thought she knew better - the store was closed, she made no arrangements with them, she is wrong and she needs to face that. This is not about racism, convenient fallback - perhaps France has the right idea - just because you are rich and famous doesn't mean rules (or store hours) doesn't apply to you! I think it was refreshing, I'm only sorry they apologized - but they will certainly NOT be losing any customers

Amazing! The ignorance and naivety of some bloggers on here. When folks advocate so much nonsense, you need someone to provide a factual perspective. The Race Card! Academic research has shown that African Americans give people the benefit of the doubt when in fact they were discriminated against. Race Relations in France. There is a serious discrimination problem against North African citizens/residents in France. After Hours for the Rich and Famous. It is almost standard policy for luxe retailers to open their stores for the priveliged after closing. Celebs do not want to be hackled by fans or paparazzi while shopping and spending big $$$ (Oprah spent almost $100,000 on handbags at Hermes). Oprah is not like you and me, so standard operating hours do not apply to her. Knowledge is power!

France is one of the most racist countries in europe coming in a close second after Germany. I have seen black people being refused entry from nightclubs in Marseille even though they were dressed properly. Its to do with their misguided belief that they are culturally superior to the world, though how eating frog's legs and horses = superior is anyone's guess. Go back to your smelly nob cheese you racist frogs.

I think to put this whole incident into prospective it should be brought closed to home. Look, if I shop at the corner store and give them my business on a regular basis, recommend them to friends, then I would would expect them to let me in a little past closing to get a quart of milk. It seems Oprah has spent tens of thousand of dollars with Hermes, as well as recommended their wares at times on her web site. So for her to feel that she should have been accommodated is not a person looking for "star treatment" just common courtesy and acknowledgment of her being one of their best customers. Any very good customer of almost any business would expect the same in my opinion.

I think for Oprah to cite this event as an example of racism diminishes the word, the charge, and the experiences of people who actually experience racism in their lives. http://oprahscrusade.blogspot.com/

I think the other issue is that many are applying their American perspective on this issue. We're not talking about this incident happening to Oprah in America, but in France. For those who are not familiar with race relations in Paris or France, allow me to clue you in on a fact that some of you may be oblivious to: racial profiling and discrimination based on race happens EVERY DAY in Paris and other cities througout France. There is a long and documented history of discrimination against Africans of both Arab and Black African decent. If you know anyone from North or West Africa living in France, ask them about their experiences; they will tell you that yes, they've frequently and repeatedly been denied services, jobs and housing based solely on their last names, their accents, skin tone and/or country of origin, which in this day and age in ANY part of the world is absolutely ridiculous. From a "race relations in France" perspective, it is entirely possible that Oprah was denied entrance to the Hermes boutique based on her race. If any of you have experienced discrimination of any kind, first hand and on a reoccuring basis, then you know that it is a negative experience that no one - regardless of color, race, gender, s*xual orientation, religion, SOCIAL/ECONOMIC status - should be expected to endure. Not even Oprah. This "Hermes" experience shouldn't happen to anyone. The difference is that unlike most, Oprah is in a position to possibly change (or at least shed light on) the way the we deal with one another, on a GLOBAL front. Why not use your status to make the world a better place for EVERYONE? The other side of this reality coin is: if it can happen to Oprah, it can happen to you. In fact, it probably has already.

"This "Hermes" experience shouldn't happen to anyone." Hermes should never be allowed to close as long as anyone shows up whenever they want?

If she came to the store after the doors were locked at closing time, then she should stop whining. There may have been customers shopping inside the store, and more likely than not those customers entered before the doors were locked. She needs better time management skills. If a racist comment was said to her, then yes, that associate should be fired. Everyone deserves the same treatment, and even though I know the world is an unfair place for many reasons, that "same treatment" should include a store's ability to lock its doors at closing without being persecuted. She is really doing a disservice to people of color and celebrities, that because of that fact, she feels she should get special treatment. She may stop shopping and Hermes, but I vote with my money too, and I for one, will stop my subscription to O, stop watching her show, and let everyone I know about this incident and what a petty person she really is.