Stella McCartney Male Executive Sues Over Pay, Sex Bias (1)

A Stella McCartney America executive sued the luxury brand for gender discrimination in a New York federal court, claiming he was illegally denied pay raises, job security, and promotion while European women were promoted, even after taking on new executive duties.

Andrew Dershaw, a 14-year veteran of the company, alleged in a US District Court for the Southern District of New York complaint Monday that he contributed more than $40 million in annual revenue by managing critical retailer relationships and carrying out executive responsibilities “far beyond his formal role,” yet faced unequal treatment driven by both national origin and sex. After the 2024 termination of Ida Simonsen, a European woman and president of North America at Stella McCartney, Dershaw said the company shifted her leadership functions to him but withheld the title and compensation that came with the job.

The suit, which also names LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and CEO Amandine Ohayon as defendants, alleged they operated a “Europe-first regime” that prioritized women European executives, “while shifting pressure, austerity, and blame onto” American workers.

Following Simonsen’s termination, Dershaw said he was renamed senior vice president of wholesale and tasked with running Stella McCartney’s US business. The company allegedly paid him about half of Simonsen’s previous salary.

After he formally complained of gender bias, the defendants retaliated, including negative performance reviews and reducing his annual bonus, the suit said. They also allegedly rescinded several days of paid time off and refused to reimburse him approximately $20,000 in approved business expenses, which he said remain unpaid as of the day of filing.

Dershaw’s complaint also claims whistleblower retaliation regarding an allegedly illegal price-fixing scheme orchestrated by LVMH leadership.

In Spring 2025, he claimed he refused to participate in a “US Tariffs Taskforce” that was set up to force American retailers to accept coordinated price increases by halting shipments.

The defendants punished him over his resistance after he warned that their conduct was “anti-competitive and illegal,” he said. Dershaw was “ultimately vindicated” when European regulators in October fined LVMH-controlled fashion house, Loewe, €18 million for unlawful market manipulation and price-fixing, according to the suit.

The defendants’ “abusive conduct” caused Dershaw severe professional humiliation, isolation, and emotional distress, and contributed to his diagnosis of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder last year, the complaint said. After “months of extreme depression, anxiety, and recurring panic attacks,” he took medical leave, which he still remains on, it said.

Dershaw sued under the federal Equal Pay Act, New York city and state’s human rights laws, and the New York Labor Law. He seeks back pay, punitive damages, and equitable relief for alleged violations of these laws.

A spokesperson for Stella McCartney told Bloomberg Law in a statement Tuesday that the company doesn’t comment on the details of individual personnel matters, including litigation, but maintained it’s “an equal-opportunity workplace that treats all employees fairly and with respect.”

“We are reviewing these claims, and we will address them through the appropriate legal channels,” the statement said.

Joseph & Norinsberg LLC represents Dershaw.

The case is Dershaw v. Stella McCartney America Inc., S.D.N.Y., No. 1:26-cv-03200, complaint filed 4/20/26.