Marc Jacobs President Accused of Demanding Employee Pole Dance

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Move over, American Apparel—there's a new scandal in town. Both major tabloids today reported that Patrice Lataillade, former Chief Operating Officer of Marc Jacobs, is suing MJ president Robert Duffy for everything from treating company funds like his own personal walking-around money to making an employee pole dance for him. Lataillade says he lost his million-dollar salary when he stood up to Duffy; the company says that he was in fact given the boot for matters completely unrelated to the allegations in the complaint.

According to the suit, Duffy decorated his office with gay porn and forced employees to look at it, helped produce a book with photos of Marc Jacobs staff in the nude (that would be this book, we're guessing), and generally created a "discriminatory environment." Lataillade says that Duffy's victims complained, but were told to get a "thicker skin" and "go home early and have a drink." (Some HR department!)

Lataillade eventually took matters into his own hands and sent an email to the big shots at both MJ and Louis Vuitton highlighting the legal situation and hostile workplace. One week later, he got the can. He is now seeking financial damages—neither the Post nor the Daily News know how much—as compensation for his lost job and "mental anguish and humiliation." Somewhere in LA, Dov Charney is extremely relieved to be out of the spotlight.
· Marc Jacobs' former no. 2 says pres used company as personal piggy bank [NYP]
· Ex-Marc Jacobs COO accuses Robert Duffy of fostering x-rated workplace [NYDN]
· Fashion Bookworm: Marc Jacobs Employees Get a Yearbook, Kind Of [Racked National]

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