Stella McCartney Executive Sues LVMH, Alleging Retaliation, Pay Discrimination, and Pricing Misconduct

New York employment law firm Joseph & Norinsberg LLC Files federal complaint on behalf of U.S. executive who claims he was punished after raising concerns about alleged anti-competitive conduct, pay disparities, and unpaid wages

NEW YORK, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New York employment law firm Joseph & Norinsberg LLC, on behalf of a senior executive at Stella McCartney, today filed a federal lawsuit against the brand, its parent company Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH), and CEO Amandine Ohayon, alleging he was retaliated against after raising concerns about an alleged pricing scheme and longstanding pay disparities within the company.

The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, was brought by Andrew Dershaw, who spent fourteen years building and leading Stella McCartney's U.S. wholesale business. During his tenure, Dershaw oversaw more than $40 million in annual revenue across more than 200 retail accounts.

According to the lawsuit, Dershaw raised objections in early 2025 to what he believed was a coordinated pricing strategy imposed on U.S. retailers—one that internal communications allegedly described as "anti-competitive (and illegal)." The complaint alleges that after refusing to participate, Dershaw faced immediate financial consequences, including a significant bonus reduction. The lawsuit further claims that LVMH and Stella McCartney continued advancing the pricing strategy despite mounting scrutiny in Europe over similar conduct. Months later, the European Commission fined Loewe, another LVMH-owned brand, €18 million for anti-competitive practices.

In addition to the alleged retaliation, the complaint outlines claims of unequal pay and wage violations. According to Dershaw, nearly all members of the company's senior leadership team were European, and he was the only American male in the group. After a European executive was terminated in 2024, Dershaw claims that, after assuming her full responsibilities, he was not granted her title and was earning roughly half her compensation.

"LVMH and Stella McCartney built a system designed to extract maximum value from an American executive who gave them fourteen years of loyalty and successfully grew their U.S. business into what it is today, while ensuring he would never be treated as an equal," said Bennitta L. Joseph, Founding Partner at Joseph & Norinsberg. "When Mr. Dershaw objected to conduct that their own executives described in writing as illegal, they punished him for it. That is not a misunderstanding. That is a choice. And it is exactly what this lawsuit is about."

The lawsuit also alleges that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dershaw's salary was reduced by approximately 30%, while European executives' compensation remained unchanged. Public filings cited in the complaint indicate that Stella McCartney increased her own compensation by approximately £221,000 during that same period.

Dershaw further claims that the company failed to reimburse approximately $20,000 in approved business expenses and used his internal complaints about compensation and wage issues as the basis for his first negative performance review in fourteen years—resulting in an additional reduction in compensation. The cumulative impact of these actions led to significant personal and professional harm, ultimately forcing Dershaw to take medically prescribed leave in October 2025 after being diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

The lawsuit asserts several causes of action under federal, state, and city law, including claims under the Equal Pay Act, the New York State and City Human Rights Laws, New York Labor Law § 740 for whistleblower retaliation, and additional wage and hour violations. A copy of the complaint is available upon request.

About Joseph & Norinsberg LLC

Joseph & Norinsberg LLC is a New York City-based employment law firm founded by Bennitta L. Joseph and Jon L. Norinsberg. The firm represents employees in workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, whistleblower, wage and hour, and wrongful termination matters across New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Bennitta L. Joseph has been named to The National Black Lawyers' Top 100 Black Lawyers in New York and has secured multi-million-dollar results for clients across a range of industries.

SOURCE Joseph & Norinsberg