Alexander McQueen Racial Discrimination Suit: Former Hispanic Employee Was Allegedly Called 'Burrito Face' And 'Goya Princess'

A former Hispanic employee of an Alexander McQueen boutique is claiming that her boss used offensive racial names while she was on the job. Moselle Blanco, 43, who was an employee at a boutique in NYC's Meatpacking District, has filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the high-end British fashion house last Wednesday after her boss allegedly used racial slurs on her such as "burrito face," "goya princess," and "taco smoke." In the Manhattan civil suit, Blanco alleges that her boss, Max Cantey, used derogatory terms and she was exposed "to a persistent barrage of offensive comments based on her race and national origin" during her ten year employment at the boutique.

In the court papers filed against the company in the State Supreme Court, Blanco alleges that Cantey told her that "she had greasy hands like a Mexican and that he did not want any product to 'get messy'" and insisted she not touch the fur products because she would get oil on them. Cantey also supposedly asserted she was drunk at work, claimed she did cocaine, accused her of stealing, told her she gained weight easily and that she had a claw foot. Blanco reportedly complained to managers about the harassment, but other managers "made light" of the situation, claiming that their interaction was akin to siblings and therefore, harmless.

In fact, Blanco alleged in her court papers that while one manager ignored her complaints, Cantey started spreading rumors about her. In September 2012, Blanco was fired for not retrieving a dress sent to Jessica Seinfeld on consignment. She also allegedly sold clothes that had been sent to other clients. Blanco's lawyers have not spoken to any media outlets about the discrimination suit, but the company sent the following statement to the Huffington Post: "Alexander McQueen is committed to equality in the workplace, and we are proud of our diverse employee base. We take any allegations of this nature seriously and will always investigate them thoroughly, but we will not comment on individual cases."

As of late, racial profiling and discrimination in high-end boutiques has been making headlines. Barneys was accused of racially profiling customers, after insiders revealed that salespeople would follow customers that they felt (translation: judged) did not belong at the high-end retailer. And there was the news of 19-year-old Trayon Christian who was accused of shoplifting a $359 Ferragamo belt that he bought. Macy's made headlines after undercover police officers allegedly searched actor Robert Brown after making a purchase at a Sunglass Hut store in the Macy's Herald Square location.