A claim by US talk show host Oprah Winfrey – one of the richest women in the world – that she was the victim of racism in an exclusive boutique in Zurich has made headlines in the United States and in Switzerland.
In interviews with two different US television shows, Winfrey said that an assistant had several times refused to show her a bag she was interested in, giving as the reason: «That one will cost too much. You will not be able to afford that.»
The owner of the shop has apologised for the incident, and called it a misunderstanding. She told the Reuters news agency that the assistant simply wanted to show Winfrey that the bag was available in other materials, which might have created the wrong impression.
«Who wouldn’t want to sell a purse for CHF35,000 ($38,000)?» she asked.
Speaking to the Blick newspaper she suggested that language could have been at fault, since although the assistant speaks English, her mother tongue is Italian.
The Swiss tourism organisation has expressed its regrets for what happened, and posted an apology on Twitter. «We are fuming – this person acted terribly wrong,» the tweet reads.
Readers’ feedback in the Swiss press has been measured. Several say that that snobbery, not racism, is rife in exclusive boutiques, while others regret the general low standard of customer service in Switzerland. But others said they had experienced racism themselves.
Several pointed out that Winfrey is not well known in Switzerland – her show is not broadcast there – and it is not surprising that the assistant did not recognise her.
A few people took the part of the crocodile, whose skin had been used to make the bag in question.