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The mounting claims against the late Mohamed Al Fayed have shocked the industry, and the world. Al Fayed allegedly raped and sexually assaulted several women when he was the owner of London’s iconic luxury department store Harrods. On 20 September, a team of lawyers announced plans to bring a global civil lawsuit against Harrods for failing to protect female employees from abuse. To date, the team represents 60 women; it is working through another 200 enquiries.
Al Fayed, who died last year, was a “monster enabled by a system that pervaded Harrods”, the lawyers said. Harrods, which is under different ownership today, has issued a statement apologising for Al Fayed’s actions and accepted “vicarious liability” (when an employer takes responsibility for an employee’s actions).
For many working in the fashion retail industry, claims of inappropriate behaviour are a familiar tale. A string of allegations have been made against industry CEOs and founders in recent history. Among them, in 2019, former Arcadia Group owner Philip Green and Ted Baker founder Ray Kelvin were both accused of inappropriate conduct towards female staff within their companies (they denied the claims). In the US, American Apparel founder Dov Charney was fired in 2014 after allegations were made against him of sexual harassment and sexual assault (he too has denied any wrongdoing).
In 2021, Asos launched an internal investigation after a series of anonymous posts were published on Instagram, levelling allegations of inappropriate behaviour from senior staff at the retailer. It is understood the review found a handful of isolated instances of inappropriate behaviour and action was taken with the individuals concerned; since then Asos has strengthened its processes in certain areas, including setting out more clearly how and when people can report issues and through which channels, and the policy on relationships at work.
Industry sources say there has been progress — the #metoo movement that started in 2017 helped more women feel able to speak out — but parts of fashion retail are still dogged by misogyny. It raises the question: how can retail better protect its workers?
“I think there is more awareness of misogynistic, predatory and sexist behaviour in retail than there used to be. There are also more protections. That makes it more difficult for unethical leaders to cover things up,” says Neil Saunders, managing director of retail research agency and consulting firm Globaldata. “However, there are still power imbalances and the idea that misogyny has been eliminated completely is, sadly, fanciful.”
“The abuse of power by male leaders in fashion retail isn’t new, but it is systemic,” says Leyya Sattar, DEI consultant and founder of social impact organisation Other Box. “Like many industries, fashion has long been driven by unchecked hierarchies, where power is concentrated at the top, and those below are expected to tolerate toxic behaviour as just part of the business’. This imbalance is the perfect ground for misogyny and misconduct to take place. Predators thrive when your job security or future in the industry depends on you keeping silent.”
The allegations against Al Fayed
Allegations of sexual misconduct by Al Fayed while he was owner of Harrods were reported by the media as far back as 1995, but years of denials and libel lawsuits followed, according to a BBC timeline. The police investigated several times, but no charges were brought. Then, in July 2023, Harrods began settling claims with women who came forward alleging sexual assault by Al Fayed. His death in August 2023 opened the floodgates.
“Many of these women have been living in fear all this time. It was only after his death that some felt able to come forward. Even those who have came forward are still looking over their shoulder,” says Maria Mulla, a representative of Justice for Harrods Survivors and part of the legal team preparing to take the case to court.
A BBC documentary released earlier this month, Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, prompted more women to come forward. The BBC spoke to more than 20 women who alleged abuse ranging from sexual assault to rape.
In the immediate aftermath of the documentary’s release, Harrods issued a statement strongly condemning Al Fayed’s actions, which took place when he was owner between 1985 and 2010. “We are utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al Fayed,” reads the statement. “These were the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated and we condemn them in the strongest terms. We also acknowledge that during this time his victims were failed and for this we sincerely apologise.”
The company said its workplace culture has changed since then. “The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Fayed between 1985 and 2010, it is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do,” the statement continues.
A few days later, it revealed that there is an ongoing review into whether any of Harrods’s present staff were involved in any of the allegations, either directly or indirectly. The company declined to provide further details on the review, or what measures have been put in place to change the culture in recent years.
On 26 September, Harrods managing director Michael Ward, who has worked at the company since 2005, said in a statement that he wanted to convey his “personal horror” at the revelations and make clear that he “was not aware of [Al Fayed’s] criminality and abuse”. He added that the company had “failed our colleagues and for that we are deeply sorry”.
How do we make fashion retail safe?
Observers say the only way to tackle the problem and better protect staff is to confront the misogyny that’s deeply ingrained in the fashion industry.
“The leadership on the whole is still quite old school — they rule with fear and domination,” says Anna Woods, who used to work for a number of British high street fashion retailers before leaving to set up her own, values-driven concept called Positive Retail. “I do business coaching and people come to me who work for prominent retailers as heads of department, and they are in quite traumatised states. When you hear the tales of the inside of these organisations and how they are treated by founders and CEOs — not all of whom are male — you realise there’s something wrong with the culture in this industry.”
In Vogue Business’s 2023 series Debunking the Dream, one young female professional in the industry spoke of male-dominated C-suites and a “lad culture” in some fashion companies; something Woods recognises. She points to the fact that there is still an inherent gender-power divide in fashion retail: while the majority of the fashion retail workforce is female, only a fraction make it into C-suite roles.
“A lot of the women I’ve spoken to feel they’ve been overlooked. We need to give people the strength and power to know that their voices will be heard,” says Mulla. “We need systems in place: people to report to, proper safeguarding. And companies need to be more inclusive at board level.”
Asos recognised this following its review; today, seven of its 15-strong management committee, and six of its 13 board members, are women. It has also set diversity targets across the business as part of its Fashion with Integrity programme.
Woods feels there has been a shift in the right direction. “I do think the world is changing. People with authentic voices — like mine — are being listened to. She points to some of her social media posts about the power dynamics in fashion retail, one of which has been shared 75,000 times. “People want to hear the truth,” she says.
One big change is in the way that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or “gagging orders” can be used. The BBC documentary reveals that some of Al Fayed’s victims were asked to sign NDAs — once a common practice to cover up sexual misconduct in the workplace. “I once had a boss who said he was constantly signing NDAs,” recalls Woods.
In March 2024, the UK government announced a crackdown on gagging orders. Changes to the law state clearly that NDAs cannot be legally enforced if they prevent victims from reporting a crime. “Sexual harassment is unlawful in the workplace, and it is unacceptable that a few unscrupulous employers have previously sought to construct confidentiality clauses in settlement agreements, that suggest victims cannot report a crime to the police,” said the then victims and safeguarding minister Laura Farris, in a statement at the time. (Harrods said there are no NDAs attached to its recent settlements.)
Woods believes employees of all levels and genders have the power to effect change. “You can rally your colleagues, almost set up a union. Social media can be a massive tool for good. People don’t realise they can have power internally. You can interrogate governance structures. When you’re seeking a job, look at where you want to work and why. Think about what aligns with your values.”
“What we need is action,” says Daniel Peters, founder of London-based consultancy Fashion Minority Report, which works with fashion brands and retailers to make their workplaces more inclusive. “Action in the moment when we see something happening. Action that ensures that the aggressor is more fearful of the consequences than the actual or intended victim. We need to create a work culture that is aware and mindful of psychological and physical safety of women. We need to call out ‘bad behaviour’ and be mindful of the language that we use. And lastly, create better means of confidential reporting that allow people to know their accounts are being treated seriously.”
Sattar says the fashion industry is still “obsessed with glamorising power and gatekeeping, which maintains these cycles of abuse”. “If things are to truly change, we must transition from superficial initiatives to actual systemic change, primarily focusing on holding leaders responsible and accountable for their actions,” she argues.
Most agree that fashion needs a radical reset. “Leaders must be held accountable through enforceable policies and zero-tolerance frameworks,” Sattar continues. “This means we protect whistleblowers, mandate third-party investigations, and build a workplace culture where speaking up and feedback are safe and encouraged. Staff, especially women and marginalised groups, need psychological safety and to know there are real consequences for those who abuse their power. Only then will we see genuine change.”
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