Joining the string of Filipina celebrities who opened up about feeling discriminated against while shopping at luxury stores abroad, Jessy Mendiola has also recounted a similar experience while trying to buy a Chanel bag in the past. In fact, the 28-year-old actress reveals that it not only happened to her once, but twice!
On her most recent YouTube video, Jessy can be seen unboxing her latest designer purchase: a large-sized Chanel Deauville Tote Bag in beige, which she bought from a luxury reseller named Regina of @luxe_finds on Instagram. While talking about her new arm candy, the actress was prompted to explain why she prefers buying from personal shoppers rather than making the purchase from the actual store.
"This is my second Chanel bag," Jessy shares. "The reason why I like buying from luxury resellers, natatakot na ko pumunta sa boutique ng store. Hindi ko sinasabi na lahat ng boutiques or branded stores ganun yung ugali ng mga staff, but I had a bad experience before sa isang brand, which is Chanel."
In what seems like a scene straight out of Julia Robert's Pretty Woman movie, Jessy recounts stepping inside a Chanel store in Paris around four years ago and inquiring about the French fashion house's most iconic flap bag. She narrates, "I went in sa isang Chanel store and I asked about the classic Chanel flap. First time ko magkakaron ng Chanel flap, excited ako. Nawawalan ako ng loob every time nagpa-price increase sila tapos syempre hindi ko na maabot yung bag na gusto ko kasi pamahal na sya ng pamahal, so nung time na meron na ko chance makabili kasi nakapag-ipon na ko, I went to a Chanel store."
She then adds, noting how she felt humiliated after the said shopping experience, "Pumasok ako tapos nagtanong ako sa isang sales associate if may mga available na classic flap bags. Tiningnan niya ko from head to toe tapos hindi niya ko pinansin. Medyo napahiya ako. Ang ginawa ko na lang umalis na lang ako, kasi siyempre 'di ba bakit ka pa pupunta dun, bakit ka pa bibili ng bag kung gaganunin ka lang din naman? Bibili naman ako."
Apparently, it did not stop there. Two years ago in Taiwan, Jessy once again tried to shop at a Chanel store, resulting in yet another disappointing experience. "Yung second naman, sa Taiwan, nagpunta ko sa isang Chanel store kasi gusto ko naman bumili ng wallet at saka sunglasses from Chanel," says the actress, who even had photos prepared in her phone for reference and called on a sales associate for help. "Pinakita ko yung pictures na gusto ko, tapos di manlang niya tiningnan yung phone ko tapos dinaan-daanan lang niya ko. Wala naman tao nun. Ayun, medyo na-traumatize na ko."
Yikes! Watch Jessy's video in full below:
Regine Velasquez was among the first celebrities to recount discrimination while shopping for shoes at a Louis Vuitton boutique in New York, as well as Sharon Cuneta who had a similar experience at a Cartier store in Hong Kong. Most recently, KC Concepcion also recalled her unfortunate encounter with a snobbish salesperson at a Saint Laurent boutique in Los Angeles, California.
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