Real Housewives of New York City alum Bethenny Frankel is speaking out against what she calls Chanel’s “elitism” after Jennifer Lopez was reportedly turned away from one of the luxury brand’s stores in Istanbul.
Lopez, 56, remained calm and left without fuss, later spending tens of thousands of dollars at rival designer boutiques.
Frankel, who had a similar experience in Chicago last year, used the incident to call for change in how Chanel treats its customers.
Jennifer Lopez’s rejection at Chanel Istanbul took social media by storm
Image credits: Instagram / bethennyfrankel
Lopez, 56, was reportedly dressed head-to-toe in a pink set with matching sunglasses when she arrived at Chanel’s boutique at Istanbul’s İstinye Park.
According to reports, she was stopped from entering by a store employee, according to Page Six.
Image credits: Getty / Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin
Unfazed and seemingly unbothered, JLo left quietly before reportedly spending tens of thousands of dollars at Celine and Beymen, whose stores were nearby.
For Frankel, 54, the incident struck a nerve, partly because she knew exactly how it felt.
Frankel recalled her own rejection from Chanel last year
Image credits: İstinyePark
In a TikTok video, the Real Housewives of New York City alum said Lopez’s snub made her think back to May 2024, when she herself was turned away from a Chanel store in Chicago.
She described being spoken to “through a crack in the door” in a “very condescending” tone.
“I looked like an absolute train wreck, and they definitely wouldn’t have known who I was,” she admitted, contrasting her appearance to Lopez’s “glamazon” look during her Istanbul shopping spree.
For Frankel, the bigger concern was how everyday shoppers might feel if treated the same way.
“It made me think about the person who could never afford to buy Chanel who just buys a lip gloss… and gets turned away,” Frankel said.
Frankel noted that from a marketing perspective, the Istanbul store’s JLo snub might even benefit Chanel.
Image credits: TikTok / bethennyfrankel
“They’re getting a lot of press,” she said. “In 2025, you get more press for not letting JLo in than you do if you did.”
Still, Frankel stressed that Lopez is “a customer you want to have in your store (because) she’s definitely going to buy.”
Chanel management was reportedly horrified by the treatment Jennifer Lopez received at its Istanbul boutique
While Lopez maintained her composure during the snub, insiders claimed that Chanel leadership was alarmed by the Istanbul store’s luxury-level blunder.
According to a report by Rob Shuter, which was posted on his Substack, high-ranking individuals tied to the Wertheimer family, who owns Chanel, were “horrified” after learning of the incident.
Citing a source familiar with the matter, Shuter noted that while JLo was “calm and gracious,” “Chanel knew instantly they’d made a terrible mistake.”
Image credits: Instagram / bethennyfrankel
“They were horrified,” the insider added, referring to the Wertheimer family. “Jennifer Lopez is not just a celebrity. She’s a global brand. Turning her away wasn’t just rude. It was bad business.”
Within hours of the incident, Chanel reportedly sent JLo a private apology from senior figures tied to the Wertheimers. However, the singer reportedly had a clear response at that point.
Image credits: Instagram / jlo
JLo reportedly declined Chanel’s invitation to visit its Istanbul store. After all, she had already spent tens of thousands of dollars at Celine and Beymen.
“She has no hard feelings,” Shuter’s source stated. “But make no mistake. The message was received. Loud and clear.”
Bethenny calls out Chanel’s culture of elitism
Image credits: Instagram / jlo
Frankel clarified she wasn’t advocating for special treatment just because someone is famous.
Instead, she wanted the conversation to focus on how luxury brands make people feel before they’ve even stepped inside.
“I don’t think Chanel should change any policies for public people,” she said.
Image credits: TikTok / bethennyfrankel
“I think they should change policies about the elitism and the way they treat someone daring entry into their kingdom, thus making them feel inferior.”
The Skinnygirl founder said her own encounter stayed with her, enough that she decided to return to the store the following day.
Instead of a sweatsuit and a “basic b**ch purse,” Frankel wore a pearl-buttoned dress and heels.
She was allowed in without hesitation. But rather than shop, she turned right around and left, a move she documented for her followers.
Numerous netizens praised her for her “walk in and walk out” gesture towards the luxury brand.
Netizens weighed in on JLo’s experience with Chanel and Frankel’s insights about the snub
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