Renowned Makeup Artist Sammy Mourabit sues LVMH for $10 Million

NEW YORK, April 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned makeup artist Sammy Mourabit has sued global fashion powerhouse LVMH for $10 million for reneging on its promise to make him Artistic Director for its brand MakeUp Forever. Mourabit, one of the top makeup artists in the world, was set to start work on January 1, 2018, had received a multi-million-dollar contract from LVMH which was abruptly canceled during a phone call in October 2017, without compensation.

After a multiyear courtship, LVMH instructed Mourabit to turn down all other jobs as he prepped for the new position. This included the job of artistic director for Rihanna's Fenty, for which Mourabit had been asked to apply, as well as for the world tours of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Mourabit was also forced to turn down multiple other jobs, including his work with MAC during Paris Fashion Week and private clients, totaling millions of dollars in lost income.

"As an independent artist without an agent, it is very rare to reach the level I have in my career. I rely solely only on my work and reputation to gain clients. I was instructed to give up all of my clients, so when I began work on January 1, 2018, I would be entirely associated with MakeUp Forever and LVMH. This position of Artistic Director was the culmination of 30 years of working with the best in the business and a dream come true. When the job did not come to fruition not only was I disappointed, but my career suffered after turning down 12 months of work because of my contract with LVMH," said Mourabit.

When Mourabit received the phone call this past October, his belongings were already packed and were about to be shipped by LVMH's movers from LA to Paris. LVMH's HR department had also signed up Mourabit and his girlfriend for health benefits, had engaged a broker to help find them an apartment, and had enrolled his girlfriend in French lessons upon their forthcoming arrival in Paris.

"To say that LVMH acted without an iota of respect for me after more than a year of negotiations and working together is an extreme understatement, said Mourabit. "Instead, MakeUp Forever is a brand that needs a revamp and I believe it would have benefited from my expertise and years of working with extraordinary entertainers and talents."

"The company's behavior is unconscionable," said Mark Moody, Mourabit's attorney. "LVMH is responsible for making Sammy whole after forcing him to sit on the sidelines for over a year. The blatant lack of concern for Mourabit is shocking."

Mourabit's work has been featured on the cover of countless publications, from international editions of Vogue, W, V, to some of the most well-known fashion ad campaigns including those of Alexander Wang and Versace; to the runways of fashion designers such as Rick Owens; to the on-stage extravaganzas of Celine Dion, Madonna for the MDNA World Tour, and many more.

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SOURCE Sammy Mourabit

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http://www.sammymourabit.com