The owner of a luxury fashion label that has been worn by celebrities including Cynthia Erivo, Katie Holmes and Julia Roberts has been accused of running her Manhattan factory as a ‘sweatshop’ as she stole tens of thousands of dollars from her employees’ wages.
Andrea Marshall, 44, the owner of Salon 1884 LLC, allegedly refused to pay nine of her employees as they worked shifts lasting up to 17 hours, bilking them out of approximately $54,000 in wages from August 2023 through June of this year.
At the same time, Marshall would subject her employees to a ‘culture marked by volatility, fear and manipulation’ as she would ‘berate workers and scream at them,’ Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a news conference on Wednesday, according to Gothamist.
Marshall is now facing charges of grand larceny in the second degree, scheme to defraud in the first degree, effect of failure to secure compensation and failure to pay wages in accordance with the labor law.
Her company is also facing the same charges.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges in Manhattan criminal court on Wednesday, and was released without bail, the New York Post reports.
The luxury designer was then seen hanging her head in shame as she exited the courthouse in photos for the Daily Mail.
In a statement to Gothamist, attorney Corey Briskin said he is ‘confident that the truth will prevail and that my client will be vindicated’ following a thorough investigation.
The Daily Mail has also reached out to Briskin and Salon 1884 LLC for comment.
Andrea Marshall, 44, the owner of Salon 1884 LLC, has been accused of running her Manhattan factory as a ‘sweatshop’ as she stole tens of thousands of dollars from her employees’ wages
She pleaded not guilty in criminal court to charges of grand larceny in the second degree, scheme to defraud in the first degree, effect of failure to secure compensation and failure to pay wages in accordance with the labor law
The fashion tycoon was seen hanging her head as she left the courthouse on Wednesday
Marshall founded the sustainable fashion company in 2021, establishing a studio on West 39th Street in the Garment District.
Her designs have since sold for thousands of dollars through luxury retailers and online platforms like Neiman Marcus, Moda Operandi and Net-a-Porter.
But behind the scenes, prosecutors say, Marshall forced her seamstress to work ‘grueling hours’ with overnight shifts lasting between 12 to 17 hours.
Other employees were allegedly made to work more than 100 hours in one week.
This was not by mistake, prosecutors argued, noting that Marshall set the schedule, required her employees to punch in and out and determined their rates of pay.
When their work was then completed, Marshall allegedly delayed paying the employees as she provided them with ‘a series of shifting explanations and requirements.’
At times she would issue nominal partial payments, propose installment plans she never honored or offer clothing in lieu of the lost wages, prosecutors said.
Several employees were eventually able to win small claim judgments, but prosecutors say Marshall failed to pay those as well.
Salon 1884’s designs have been worn by celebrities including Cynthia Erivo and Katie Holmes
The company sells its designs for thousands of dollars through luxury retailers and online platforms like Neiman Marcus, Moda Openrandi and Net-a-Porter
Employees then tried to reach out directly to Marshall for their paychecks.
In shocking text messages the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office uncovered, one worker even resorted to asking Marshall for just half the money they were owed.
‘Miss Andrea, please can you pay me half,’ it read. ‘I really need to send money to Ecuador for my children. I really need it, miss, please help me.’
The staffer then followed up two days later by sending the praying hands emoji.
Another text message from May showed an employee asking Marshall to ‘please… pay me something.’
‘I need to send it to Ecuador,’ the worker wrote. ‘It’s for my son. Please, I’m asking you. He’s sick.’
A third text message showed Marshall apparently reprimanding an employee who requested payment.
‘You are not allowed in my office,’ she allegedly wrote. ‘I will mail you a check.’
Yet, prosecutors said, the employees never got the payments they were promised.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Marshall of ‘preying on the significant power imbalance of her employees’
Shocking text messages show how employees tried to reach out to Marshall for their paychecks
‘She 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.
‘Hard-working New Yorkers deserve every dollar they earn.’
Marshall also allegedly stiffed independent contractors who provided essential services for the company, including modeling agencies, a pattern maker and a hair stylist.
As with her staff members, prosecutors say, Marshall repeatedly promised the contractors they would be paid and assured them that their payment was forthcoming.
Despite repeated collection efforts and legal demands, though, she allegedly failed to pay the contractors their outstanding balances.
The luxury fashion tycoon is further facing charges for failing to carry workers’ compensation insurance and failing to register the business with the Department of Labor.
If she is found guilty, Marshall could face up to 15 years behind bars.
She is due back in court on September 23.
In the meantime, anyone who believes they may have been a victim to Marshall’s alleged scheme is encouraged to call the District Attorney’s Worker Protection Unit at (646) 712 – 0298.
