The devil wears Donna Karan, according to a new class-action lawsuit against the fashion designer by a former unpaid intern.
Valentino Smith, 25, who worked at the Manhattan studios of the couturier in 2009, is suing on behalf of at least 100 other interns.
“He characterized it as a “Devil Wears Prada” atmosphere,” said Smith’s attorney, Lloyd Ambinder.., referring to the hit flick about an assistant to a fashion editor who’s forced to perform gopher tasks like retrieving her boss’ dry cleaning.
“He got so much coffee for people he knew what they wanted without having to ask,” said Ambinder.
Smith, 25, did menial office jobs like data entry, shipping inventory, organizing closets and answering phones, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court suit.
“Using a copy machines isn’t what someone would call an internship,” said Smith who had expected to get on-the-job training toward his career.
“I feel like I was taken advantage of.”
Smith should have been paid the $7.25 houly minimum wage, he says.
“DKI believes it has acted properly and legally,” said company rep Valerie Gelicame.