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After a pair of Barneys shoppers came forward with claims of racial discrimination, Jay Z and the luxury store have adjusted the charity portion of their holiday collaboration, which launches Wednesday. Now, 100% of all sales from the collection—called BNY SCC—will be donated to the rapper's Shawn Carter Foundation. The original plan called for just 25% of sales to be donated to the fund, which helps secure scholarships for overlooked students.
Additionally, 10% of sales storewide will be donated to the foundation on launch day, November 20th. All US Barneys stores and barneys.com will participate, with the retailer guaranteeing at least a million dollars garnered from that day alone.
A number of groups called for Jay Z to pull out from his collaboration entirely. Former Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley told The Times, "Any African-American, male or female, with any consciousness of what has happened would not go into Barneys right now," And if he were in Jay Z's shoes, "for the simplicity of making a broad statement I would pull out."
Here's what Jay Z said about the matter on his own site:
While I await the findings of the Attorney General's office, 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. I am in a unique position to use my voice to affect change to this disturbing issue. The easy position would have been to walk away and leave policy making to others hoping that someone addresses the problem. I will not leave the outcome to others. I will take this into my own hands with full power to recommend, review and revise policies and guidelines moving forward. I am choosing to take this head on.· Barneys, Jay Z to Work on Racial Profiling Issue [WWD]
· Confirmed!: It's Going to Be a Very Jay Z Holiday at Barneys [Raked NY]
· Updated: Queens Teen Slaps Barneys With Discrimination Suit [Racked NY]
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