The fashion world is no stranger to scandal. Though the topic usually has something to do with tax evasion or other financial mischief, every so often we get something juicier.
The difference with this particular scandal is that, while it involves a fashion executive, it has nothing to do with the inner-workings of the company. A jury recently found Dooney & Bourke co-founder Frederic Bourke guilty of “conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the travel act and making false statements to federal law-enforcement officials.”
These interesting charges have to do with a bribery scheme involving government officials in Azerbaijan, a small country near Iran. The case goes back quite awhile, though, as the scheme that Bourke was allegedly aware of took place in the late 1990s.
Somehow I think that this controversy isn’t going to permanently scar the reputation of D&B. In fact, I’ll bet that most fans of the label won’t even blink about this since we’re not talking about a creative director or well-known figurehead.
That’s good new for Dooney & Bourke. It might not help Frederic Bourke at all, but at least the company he co-founded won’t suffer for his mistakes.
[Source: Wall Street Journal
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