Yet again the tennis star and soon to be a mother, Serena Williams finds herself amidst racial pandemonium. This time comes from all-progressive and all-accepting fashion industry. Whitney Wilburn, a former employee of a luxury shoe company, Gianvito Rossi slapped a racial discrimination lawsuit against the company.
Mazzilli fired Wilburn “without warning or formal evaluation”. She alleges that the firm reduced her responsibilities, sabotaged her work which subsequently led to be fired without “rational reasons”. The truth is not clear yet. It is still unknown the real reason why Wilburn was fired.
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The accusation goes on to involve the 23 times Grand Slam winner Serena Williams. Wilburn says Rossi didn’t want Williams wearing her shoes for a Vogue shoot, but changed her mind after the representative from Vogue directly requested the shoes for the athlete.
“For instance, when the world-famous athlete Serena Williams, via her staff, asked for a discount on her extensive purchases, Gianvito managers responded with racially disparaging comments about Ms. Williams which made it clear that the company did not want African American women to wear its shoes,” Wilburn alleged in the complaint.
In retaliation Gianvito Rossi accused the former employee of conflating her claims “with allegations about our relationship with Ms. Serena Williams who we have the honor of having as our client. Gianvito Rossi has the pleasure of having relationships with international celebrities without any distinction.”
The company didn’t waste any time to return, they made a public statement, “Yesterday certain media outlets reported on a complaint filed against Gianvito Rossi by a former employee. Consistent with our age of viral memes and false flags, there was no attempt at corroboration or substantiation of those baseless claims. Merely lifting words from a complaint out of context, without investigation and without even awaiting any reply in a pending proceeding, is a mere hit job.”
The luxury label added: “The reporting impugned baselessly and carelessly the integrity of our incredible caring and diverse staff. At the appropriate time and in the appropriate context Gianvito Rossi will reply and be vindicated.”
”Gianvito Rossi further regrets that this former employee chose to conflate her own claims with allegations about our relationship with Ms. Serena Williams who we have the honor of having as our client,” the statement reads. “Gianvito Rossi has the pleasure of having relationships with international celebrities without any distinction.”
At this point, Serena wants nothing to do with this. She wants some peace of mind and not be part. The case is still to unravel. Would it uncover the ugly hidden side of the fashion industry? It is to be seen.
