RHONY alum Bethenny Frankel slams Chanel for denying her entry to a store, accuses them of being "elitist"

American television personality, Bethenny Frankel, recently claimed that she was denied entry at the Chanel store in Chicago because she did not have an appointment.

On May 21, 2024, The Real Housewives of New York City star posted about the incident on her Instagram and TikTok accounts. The 53-year-old explained that she had just landed in Chicago, Illinois, and when she tried to enter the French luxury brand’s location, a security guard stopped her.

Frankel wrote in the caption that she understood that crime has been "high and security is critical". However, she added:

"I could easily call one of my salespeople and get on this list. That’s besides the point. I was straight of a plane in a sweaty tshirt and not dolled up or looking wealthy. There are several ways to convey a message and this way was rudeness and elitist and exclusionary, which is also a crime."

The philanthropist also uploaded another video of her visiting the Chanel store the next day dressed differently in a seemingly expensive outfit and she was let in.

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Bethenny Frankel claims she was denied entry at Chicago's Chanel boutique

Bethenny Frankel is a multiple New York Times bestselling author and the Founder & CEO of Skinnygirl. It is a lifestyle brand that helps make outfits with practical solutions for women. She starred in eight of the 14 seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City since it began in 2008.

On Tuesday, Bethenny Frankel posted a video on her social media calling out Chanel as they allegedly did not let her enter their Chicago store, because of the lack of an appointment. She talked about the security guard and being “treated like an interloper” adding:

"I’m like: ‘No, I don’t have an appointment. I have a credit card. I have a bag of Garrett’s popcorn, a basic b*tch purse. Am I not allowed to come in at 3.54 on a Tuesday? Evidently not. I didn’t realize we’re not allowed to walk into stores anymore. I don’t have an appointment. Gotta get a pap smear appointment and also to go walk into Chanel. No big deal."

Bethenny Frankel then said that the way the luxury brand handled the situation was rude and elitist. The reality star also claimed that she was denied entry because of her attire. She mentioned the fashion industry and how things worked in the field saying:

"In business, first impressions are lasting. I would never want anyone to feel lesser than, particularly from a luxury brand making billions off of people buying into the hype. Chanel is a beautiful brand with timeless classic pieces. Being kind to customers of all socioeconomic backgrounds is also timeless and classic."

Bethenny Frankel wanted to further her point that the reason for their denial was the way she was dressed. She visited the store again the next day, however, this time she wore a tweed skirt suit, sunglasses, heels, and a pearl-encrusted headband.

When the television star approached the store she was let in without any objections from the three “lovely” security guards that were not there the day before. She quipped in the video:

"I’m going into Chanel now dressed much differently than I was dressed yesterday. If they let me in because of how I look, Christmas is canceled. Let's do this."

According to People magazine, the customer care representative for Chanel confirmed that visitors need to make appointments at some Chanel boutique locations, while that's not the case with other stores. The staff also mentioned that if an outlet is filled and advisors are already helping clients, others may have to wait.