A Zara customer was shocked after she said an incident in the fitting room got her booted from the retailer. The woman took to TikTok to share details about the experience and admonish the store’s workers over their alleged treatment of Black woman.
The clip was uploaded by user Gemi (@geminireloaded) and has been viewed over 29,100 times.
“Escorted out of Zara by security after being exposed in the dressing room,” text overlaid on it read.
“I’m recording this video to talk about what just happened to me in Zara at the West Field Mall in San Francisco, California,” the woman began in the video. “And how I was treated by a manager and staff after being exposed by who knows who.”
The woman went on to explain it was unclear whether another customer or one of the store’s workers was responsible for exposing her while she used the dressing room.
The incident went down during what should’ve been a regular shopping trip.
The TikToker said she was busy trying on clothes in a fitting room when someone opened her curtain.
“The curtain behind me whips open and whips close,” she explained.
The shocked woman was then allegedly forced to cover herself up. She also decided to forego trying on clothes and instead bring up the incident with a manager.
However, the store’s workers did not respond as she imagined they would.
Zara’s complicated history with race
So she decided to ask for the number for the store’s corporate headquarters to escalate her complaint. She also asked for the store’s number and the manager’s name to include in her complaint.
That’s when things took a turn for the worst.
“When I asked her for her name, it became a whole back and forth situation,” she said.
The customer alleged the store’s manager became irate and began to yell at her. Things only escalated further from there
When the TikToker decided to pull out her phone to record, the manager decided to call security on her.
“I got security called on me for reporting being violated in [expletive] Zara,” she said.
Years ago, Zara made headlines after a report was released that found its corporate culture was steeped in racism. A survey of Zara workers in New York City claimed that Black customers were far more likely to be targeted as potential shoplifters compared to their white counterparts.
@geminireloaded I cant believe this happened.#greenscreen #sanfrancisco #zara #dressingroom @ZARA ♬ original sound – Gemi
Allegedly, suspected shoplifters were identified as “special orders” as soon as they entered the store, resulting in them being followed.
In the comments section, many expressed frustration with the way the customer was treated by the store’s workers.
“It’s always something!” user Tiffanyyyyy wrote. “@ZARA DO BETTER!! JSYK, us black folk are about 65% of your sales! SHAME! Watch this tho! ….. #sistersyallknowwhattodo ! Already be racially profiled by ya; now this!”
“I’ve always hated how they had curtains instead of doors!!” another user wrote.
Others urged the retailer to install doors and locks in their fitting rooms.
“I hate their fitting rooms, the curtain never shuts all the way,” user Lulud4811 said. “There should be doors with locks @ZARA.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Zara via email and Gemi via TikTok comment for more information and comment.
