Anthropologie Responds After Being Accused of Racial Profiling

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Anthropologie Responds After Being Accused of Racial Profiling

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It then published about allegations shared by Lydia Okello, who runs the account @styleisstyle.

“On May 26th, I was contacted by a producer at @anthropologie to take part in a Pride campaign. I responded with my rates for the campaign requirements. The response was that there was no budget, but that the producer would be happy to email to discuss rates,” Okello composed in a different Instagram post. “The email was a longer pitch, including a request for an advertisement on my Instagram page and 3-5 images for them to use wherever they would like. With no budget.” 

Okello likewise shared screenshots of the discussion with the manufacturer, “including a ‘nudge'” in their “DMs this week to respond to the email requests for free labor.”⠀

“Throughout the interaction, I stated my price and was met with no compensation,” Okello continued. “‘No Budget’ means that I was approached with no intent to ever be paid for my time and labor, let alone my experiences as a Black queer person. Only after many messages/emails was there acknowledgement that I should be compensated. Even in that response, there was gaslighting. I stated my fees from the very first message.”

Okello then composed “this happens to Black creatives constantly, especially in the fashion industry.”

“We are made to feel that we ask for too much when we bring up fair compensation for labor,” Okello continued. “It is implied that we should be happy with what we get. Shouldn’t we just be happy that a big brand wants to work with someone like us? I’ve been ‘paid’ in exposure numerous times in the last 12 years as a style blogger. Which I now refuse to do. But, in this case, it is quite confounding that a multimillion-dollar company would reach out to someone with ‘no budget.’ Especially when it involves the Queer Black Voices™️ it would like to align itself with, and use in advertisements. Seems timely, no?”

In addition, Okello called “to hold brands accountable to their lip service.” 

“In fact, with BLM being a ‘hot topic’ to a lot of corporations, this is going to happen FREQUENTLY,” Okello composed. “Folks will want to capitalize on Black bodies & Black labor for the lowest price possible, as they have for several hundred years.”

Okello then resolved the post Anthropologie shared detailing its “promises to our community.”

“When Anthropologie says ‘Black lives do matter’ what does that mean?” Okello composed. “When they plan to diversify their workforce, is it this free Black labor?”