Former "Real Housewives of New York City" star Bethenny Frankel alleged she was barred from entering a Chanel location in Chicago because she was wearing a sweaty t-shirt, though a store employee offered a different reason.
In a video posted to social media on May 22, Frankel said she tried to go inside one of the luxury retailer's stores, but was turned away. The reality star explained an employee opened the door and asked if she had an appointment.
Frankel explained she didn't - nor did she know one was needed.
"To be treated like you’re an inteloper... I [was] just walking down the street to open a door to just walk into a store," she said in the video. "I thought that’s what happened, I didn’t realize we weren’t allowed to walk into stores anymore."
While the employee asserted that was the reason she was turned away, Frankel wasn't buying it.
She called what happened "elitist" and "exclusionary."
"I would never want anyone to feel lesser than, particularly from a luxury brand making billions off of people buying into the hype," Frankel said. "Chanel is a beautiful brand with timeless classic pieces. Being kind to customers of all socioeconomic backgrounds is also timeless and classic."
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Video of Frankel describing the alleged encounter has gained more than 10 million views on TikTok.
The next day, Frankel returned to the same store, which appeared to be the location along Oak Street in the city's Gold Coast.
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"I'm going into Chanel now dress much differently than I dressed yesterday," she said in the video. "If they let me in because of how I look, Christmas is canceled. Let’s do this."
This time, she wore heels, a skirt suit and sunglasses.
After being greeted by staffers, whom she said were different than the person who turned her away, she was let into the store. Frankel did not indicate whether she had an appointment.
Chanel’s website offers appointment slots for various services, but it does not indicate that an appointment is required to enter stores. Chanel and Frankel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
