Luxury dress designer charged with wage theft
The owner of luxury clothing brand Salon 1884, Andrea Marshall, was indicted Wednesday "for allegedly exploiting her employees by requiring them to work extensive hours while stealing approximately $54,000 in wages" from nine workers, roughly 924 hours of work, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. said in a press release Wednesday.
Marshall and Salon 1884 were each charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with grand larceny in the second degree, scheme to defraud, effect of failure to secure compensation and failure to pay wages, according to the release.
According to Wednesday's press release, Marshall "exploited and stole approximately $54,000 in wages from her employees while selling luxury garments," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleged in the release.
Marshall "preyed on the significant power imbalance of her employees who relied on the promised wages for housing and basic living expenses, feared retaliation, and lacked the financial resources to pursue legal recourse," Bragg said in a statement included in the release.
The district attorney's office shared a photo of some of the brand's items in its press release this week, some of which sell for thousands of dollars apiece.
The exploitation and wage theft allegations cover the period between August 2023 and June 2026, according to the release.
Marshall founded Salon 1884 in 2021, according to the DA's office. The brand's garments are sold "through luxury retailers and online platforms including Neiman Marcus, Moda Operandi, and Net-A-Porter."
"The alleged exploitative working conditions included excessive hours, consecutive overnight shifts, and chronic nonpayment of wages," the DA's office said in the press release.
"MARSHALL's seamstresses routinely worked more than forty hours per week in her 39th Street workspace, including overnight shifts and shifts lasting between twelve and seventeen hours," the release stated. "In at least two instances, employees worked more than 100 hours in one week."
The DA's office alleged that once the work was done, the designer "delayed payment through a series of shifting explanations and requirements."
Workers reached out to Marshall and "repeatedly sought payment" through "texts and emails," according to the release.
"Marshall allegedly falsely represented that payments were forthcoming," it added.
According to Bragg's office, the alleged payment issues extended to "independent contractors who provided essential services for SALON 1884."
"Additionally, MARSHALL allegedly failed to carry workers' compensation insurance, which is required by law to protect employees in the event of a workplace injury," the release stated.
ABC News reached out to Salon 1884 for comment on the indictment.
In a statement to ABC News on Wednesday, Marshall's attorneys Justine Harris and Anna Estevao said, "Andrea vehemently denies these unfounded accusations. She looks forward to her day in court and is confident the truth will prevail."
