NEW YORK -- LVMH's Sephora beauty chain said it would close all its US stores, distribution centers and corporate offices on Wednesday to conduct diversity training for employees, a move that follows a racial incident involving a Grammy-nominated singer.
R&B singer SZA, who is black, said in April she was racially profiled at a Sephora store in Calabasas, California.
Sephora and LVMH representatives did not respond to questions on the reason for the training, which the company called "inclusion workshops." Louis Vuitton owner LVMH is based in Paris.
SZA said a Sephora employee she identified as "Sandy" called security to make sure the singer was not stealing from the store.
"We had a long talk. U have a blessed day Sandy," SZA said in a Twitter post.
"You are a part of the Sephora family, and we are committed to ensuring every member of our community feels welcome and included at our stores," Sephora said at the time in a response to the singer's post.
SZA is a Grammy nominee who also collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on the song "All the Stars" for the blockbuster movie "Black Panther."
"We will never stop building a community where diversity is expected, self-expression is honored, all are welcomed and you are included," Sephora said on its website, while announcing the workshops.
After SZA's tweet, Google reviews for the store spiked, with many users criticizing Sephora over the incident.
Barbadian singer Rihanna last month unveiled her new fashion brand with LVMH, a rare move by the French group to set up a label from scratch as it taps into soaring demand for celebrity collaborations in the luxury world.
Sephora's workshops come about a year after Starbucks closed 8,000 stores across the country for anti-bias training after a Philadelphia cafe manager's call to police resulted in the arrests of two black men who were waiting for a friend.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
LOS ANGELES - From flowing gowns to tailored tuxedos, Hollywood's film and television stars dressed in their finest black on the Golden Globes red carpet on Sunday in solidarity with the Time's Up campaign to fight sexual harassment in the workplace.
Jessica Chastain, Laura Dern and Natalie Portman led female and male nominees as well as attendees dressed in black at the awards show where the sexual harassment scandal roiling Hollywood is expected to dominate the conversation.
"We're here for the Time's Up movement. Octavia (Spencer) is my date -- girl power! We stand in solidarity against any abuse of power," Chastain, nominated for "Molly's Game" and wearing a black velvet gown with a silver sequined back, said in a televised interview with NBC on the red carpet.
"It's about people who are voiceless, and it's about empowerment," added Spencer, who is nominated for "Shape of Water."
In the week leading up to the awards ceremony, more than 300 Hollywood industry figures including actors, directors and writers, launched the Time's Up campaign to address workplace sexual harassment misconduct.
Portman, who joined Instagram in the past week to promote awareness of Time's Up, opted for a black velvet dress and accompanied a pregnant America Ferrera, wearing a black sequined dress with a tuxedo jacket, on the carpet.
"It's an incredible opportunity to get to go with a friend, an activist, someone who can have our voices together because we've been separated for so long ... and how much louder and stronger our voices can be when we come together," Portman said.
Dern, in a strapless black gown, was accompanied by Monica Ramirez, the co-founder and president of the National Farmworker Women's Alliance (Alianza Nacional De Campesinas), which represents more than 700,000 women working in the agricultural industry, fighting workplace sexual misconduct.
"It's time for us to make a difference," Dern said.
While black was the palette of choice on Sunday, stars spun their own twist with an array of textures and silhouettes.
"Black-ish" star Tracee Ellis Ross donned a black headwrap with her black satin Marc Jacobs halterneck dress, "The Crown" star Claire Foy opted for a black tuxedo suit, twinning with her co-star Matt Smith, and "Will and Grace" actress Debra Messing wore a black sequined Christian Siriano dress with trousers.
"Get Out" actress Allison Williams wore a strapless sequined Armani Prive black gown with a bold orange and silver bodice, while Mandy Moore opted for a black sleeveless halterneck Rosie Assoulin gown with a red sash.
Angelina Jolie, accompanied by her son Pax and nominated for her film "First They Killed My Father," wore a black gown with sheer sleeves embellished with black feathers.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
