Jay Z Cancellation
Barneys New York and Shawn Carter (singer Jay Z) have canceled a launch party for the singer’s new fragrance initiative and otherwise changed substantial aspects of their partnership.
The shifts are primarily Carter’s response to the racial profiling charges that have been made by minority customers against the retailer’s Madison Avenue flagship store in New York.
“I have agreed to move forward with the launch of BNY SCC collection under the condition that I have a leadership role and seat on a council specifically convened to deal with the issue of racial profiling,” said Carter in a statement on Friday night.
Initially, Carter and Barneys had announced that 25 percent of all sales from the collaboration would benefit the Shawn Carter Foundation, which provides educational assistance to urban youths. Now, said Barneys, it will “donate the remaining 75 percent — so that 100 percent of sales from the ‘BNY SCC’ Collection benefit the foundation.
“Additionally, on November 20, we will donate to the foundation 10 percent of all retail sales from Barneys New York flagship stores nationwide and Barneys.com, with a guarantee of raising a minimum of $1 million.”
Carter is not expected to appear at the store on Wednesday, however, and there are no plans for a party celebrating the introduction of his fragrance and product line, which includes collaborations with designers like Proenza Schouler and Balenciaga.
Last month, two young African-American shoppers maintained that they had been wrongfully detained by the police after making purchases from the store. Barneys has continued to deny that anyone from the store notified the police, and has since met with various African-American leaders to discuss issues of racial profiling.
Carter, an important and popular figure in the African-American community along with his wife Beyonce, had been planning this partnership with Barneys that included the launch of products, events and a substantial amount of contributions to his foundation. After the racial issues involving the retailer, Carter has been under some pressure to pull out of the partnership.
“The easy position would have been to walk away and leave policy making to others hoping that someone addresses the problem,” he said in his statement. “I will not leave the outcome to others.”
The shifts are primarily Carter’s response to the racial profiling charges that have been made by minority customers against the retailer’s Madison Avenue flagship store in New York.
“I have agreed to move forward with the launch of BNY SCC collection under the condition that I have a leadership role and seat on a council specifically convened to deal with the issue of racial profiling,” said Carter in a statement on Friday night.
Initially, Carter and Barneys had announced that 25 percent of all sales from the collaboration would benefit the Shawn Carter Foundation, which provides educational assistance to urban youths. Now, said Barneys, it will “donate the remaining 75 percent — so that 100 percent of sales from the ‘BNY SCC’ Collection benefit the foundation.
“Additionally, on November 20, we will donate to the foundation 10 percent of all retail sales from Barneys New York flagship stores nationwide and Barneys.com, with a guarantee of raising a minimum of $1 million.”
Carter is not expected to appear at the store on Wednesday, however, and there are no plans for a party celebrating the introduction of his fragrance and product line, which includes collaborations with designers like Proenza Schouler and Balenciaga.
Last month, two young African-American shoppers maintained that they had been wrongfully detained by the police after making purchases from the store. Barneys has continued to deny that anyone from the store notified the police, and has since met with various African-American leaders to discuss issues of racial profiling.
Carter, an important and popular figure in the African-American community along with his wife Beyonce, had been planning this partnership with Barneys that included the launch of products, events and a substantial amount of contributions to his foundation. After the racial issues involving the retailer, Carter has been under some pressure to pull out of the partnership.
“The easy position would have been to walk away and leave policy making to others hoping that someone addresses the problem,” he said in his statement. “I will not leave the outcome to others.”
posted by Unknown at 9:29 AM
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