Savannah James Says Hermès Worker Refused Her Pre-Booked Milan Shopping Appointment, Got Fired

Savannah James, the wife of NBA star LeBron James, says a Hermès employee in Milan turned her away despite a confirmed shopping appointment, an encounter she says ultimately led to the worker's firing and a lavish about-face from the rest of the store's staff.

James recounted the story alongside her friend and business partner, April McDaniel, during the August 7 episode of Danielle Robay's podcast "Question Everything." According to the two women, McDaniel had arranged appointments at Hermès locations during a trip through Europe, but when they arrived at the Milan boutique, a saleswoman would not accommodate them despite the existing reservation.

"We had an appointment," James said on the podcast, describing how the store initially seemed to dismiss the reservation. McDaniel, recalling the same visit, said bluntly that the staff "treated us like s—," adding that the situation escalated quickly once she pushed back against the employee's response.

McDaniel said she confronted the situation directly rather than letting it go, telling the employee, "Baby, you caught the wrong one today." She continued describing her reaction on the podcast, saying, "You want some smoke? You done caught one. I am crazy like that."

According to both women, the confrontation was ultimately taken up the chain to store management, and the employee who initially turned them away lost her job as a result. From there, the visit took a dramatic turn. James and McDaniel said the rest of the Hermès staff moved swiftly to make amends, escorting the pair into a private room and, in McDaniel's words, effectively shutting down "that whole motherf—-g store" to accommodate them exclusively. The private room was stocked with champagne, caviar and macarons, according to the women's account.

Once inside, staff began bringing out extensive inventory for the pair to consider, including crocodile leather pieces McDaniel said she had specifically requested. "How many bags you got? Ten?" McDaniel recalled asking as merchandise kept arriving. James confirmed the scale of what was presented, saying simply, "They brought out everything." McDaniel described the shopping spree that followed, saying she ended up buying swimwear and silverware, adding that she was "living my best life" by the end of the visit.

The Milan incident was not the only uncomfortable retail encounter the pair described from their European travels. James and McDaniel also recounted a separate episode at a Chanel boutique in Paris, where a sales associate repeatedly told James she could not touch a miniature bag on display, despite the item having no visible signage indicating it was off-limits. James pushed back on that instruction during the podcast conversation, saying she was capable of reading and seeing clearly, and noting there had been nothing posted indicating the item shouldn't be touched. McDaniel said she advocated for that employee to be fired as well, though it remains unclear whether the Chanel staff member ultimately lost his job.

Asked whether experiences like these take the enjoyment out of luxury shopping, McDaniel indicated they do not change her approach going forward, saying her method is to escalate complaints directly to management rather than let a slight go unaddressed. According to the podcast conversation, James tends to remain more composed in these situations compared with McDaniel's more assertive response style.

James and McDaniel are longtime business partners who co-founded Signed, a holding company focused on women-owned businesses and media ventures. Beyond their appearance on "Question Everything," the two also co-host their own podcast, "Everybody's Crazy," which launched in 2024 and has featured guests including streamer Kai Cenat and a crossover episode with the hosts of "Pour Minds." James' husband, LeBron James, has also appeared on the show.

Neither Hermès nor Chanel has publicly commented on the incidents described by James and McDaniel. The companies have not confirmed details regarding any personnel actions taken in connection with either encounter, and the accounts of both incidents come solely from James and McDaniel's retelling on the podcast rather than from statements by the retailers themselves.

The story adds to a growing body of celebrity-driven commentary around retail experiences at high-end luxury boutiques, a topic that has periodically generated public attention when customers, celebrity or otherwise, describe being treated dismissively at stores known for highly curated, appointment-based shopping experiences. Luxury retailers including Hermès have long been associated with exclusivity-driven sales practices, including waitlists and appointment systems for some of their most sought-after products, a dynamic that has occasionally drawn criticism from customers who feel that process can result in inconsistent or uneven treatment depending on the specific employee or location involved.

James, 39, is married to James, a four-time NBA champion who recently signed with the Philadelphia 76ers following his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers. The couple has remained prominent public figures well beyond basketball, with Savannah James building an independent business and media profile of her own in recent years through ventures including Signed and her podcasting work alongside McDaniel.