A retired NYPD sergeant says a fashion giant treated her like Chanel No. 2.
In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Scarlet St. James says she was barred from working security events for Chanel because she’s a woman — and, therefore, not intimidating enough.
The Queens mom says that meant losing work hours from her gig at Security Industry Specialists, and that she’s “suffering mental anguish, pain, suffering and monetary damages as a result of defendants’ discrimination.”
The suit says St. James went to work for SIS in August of last year, and performed “security services to locations throughout New York City.”
“St. James performed her duties, which included surveillance and armed protection, in a satisfactory manner,” according to the lawsuit.
In October of last year, St. James learned she had six shifts set for Chanel events that November.
“Unlike previous shifts that St. James had worked for Chanel, which required [her] to perform security services from a surveillance van outside” one of the high-class chain’s retail stores, the November gigs “involved public events such as jewelry shows and a cocktail party.”
“Hence, these Chanel events necessitated plaintiff to be visible to defendant Chanel’s management and clientele,” the suit says.
Shortly before St. James was scheduled to work her November shifts, another SIS employee, a female retired lieutenant, worked security at a Chanel jewelry show — and a Chanel exec complained.
The exec told the security firm “he did not want women working Chanel shows,” because “larger men would serve as a better deterrent against potential theft in comparison to women,” the suit says.
St. James was then told her shifts were withdrawn, the suit says.
The filing seeks unspecified money damages from Chanel and from SIS for going along with the “pattern of unlawful discrimination.”
Reps for SIS, which is headquartered in California, and Chanel did not return calls for comment.
St. James and her lawyer could not be reached.