Women at Missy Empire say ‘bullying male boss diminished them to tears’

Women working at a ‘feminine empowering’ quick vogue agency have claimed they had been advised to affix OnlyFans as a substitute of getting pay rises by their bullying male boss who diminished them to tears and created a ‘poisonous tradition’.

Some 18 feminine members of workers on the Manchester-based retailer Missy Empire, now owned by Frasers Group, have claimed that younger ladies had been focused by managing director Ash Siddique.

Mr Siddique and his brother co-founded the style agency that they are saying is ‘for the go-getters, the goal-setters, the kick-ass females who F with conference and create their very own type of fairly’.

Their XX model emblem stands for the feminine chromosome which the corporate say is ‘a subliminal reminder that we’re for the feminine and we are going to proceed to empower you by the ability of garments’.

But behind the facade of feminine empowerment, former workers have advised The Guardian that they had been advised to affix OnlyFans – a platform to earn cash utilizing pornographic movies – as a substitute of getting a pay rise.

‘We had been simply having a dialog about pay rises and he [Ash Siddique] stated we should always all be doing OnlyFans as a facet hustle and he will probably be our agent,’ a workers member advised the newspaper. 

The workers allege that Mr Siddique ‘made degrading feedback about fashions’ physique form and bodily look’.

It’s additionally claimed workers had been ‘requested to mannequin garments for the managing director’ and that ‘Missy Empire’s house owners ignored formal complaints’.

Seven members of workers additionally alleged they had been ‘fired with out purpose’ and an extra two claimed they had been ‘unable to maintain copies of their employment contracts’.

The Guardian stories that the claims have been backed up by emails, screenshots and testimonies and that Mr Siddique didn’t reply to the allegations. MailOnline has additionally contacted Missy Empire for remark. 

The investigation discovered that junior positions at Missy Empire are sometimes crammed by younger feminine staff, many being employed of their first jobs. 

There can also be understood to be enormous turnovers on the firm, with workers continuously leaving or being dismissed.

Staff spoke of their pleasure to affix the style agency earlier than they’d their ‘enthusiasm and self-confidence destroyed’. 

None of the employees who’ve made the allegations had been with the corporate for greater than 18 months. Many labored for only a few months.

One lady, who began in late 2022 earlier than leaving for a brand new job a yr later, advised The Guardian that she was diminished to tears due to bullying, whereas she was screamed at and made a scapegoat for enterprise failings by Mr Siddique.

JD Sports acquired a majority stake in Missy Empire in June 2021 and offered it to Frasers Group in December 2022.

Staff stated that issues had been flagged to each corporations, with at the very least seven emails – all with completely different complaints – despatched to their HR departments since April 2022. 

One electronic mail despatched to Frasers Group HR by a feminine worker stated: ‘In the dialog I used to be known as a f***ing fool many occasions, mocked and advised I’m not f***ing wanted, so I ought to be happy to stroll out the door. Ash additionally stated I’m not allowed my vacation as he can determine after I do, and he would not really feel like giving me it, and if I want to take vacation I can if I take it unpaid.’

She added: ‘Myself and the opposite workers are sometimes spoken to on this method. Ash’s behaviour whereas I’ve labored at Missy Empire has resulted in me having nervousness and feeling depressed.’

In an earlier electronic mail, despatched in March 2023, she additionally claimed what regarded like a voice recorder was noticed within the workers kitchen ceiling. She despatched a photograph of it to Frasers Group and requested for it to be checked out.

No motion was taken after both electronic mail, in line with the workers member, who solely acquired a response to say there was no HR operate at Missy Empire on the time.

Another feminine workers member, who labored at Missy Empire from summer time 2022, alleges that she was fired after Mr Siddique discovered a listing of her grievances which she had additionally emailed to the Frasers Group HR worker relations supervisor.

She complained a few string of points together with swearing and humiliating feedback about workers efficiency and fashions’ physique form.

The electronic mail stated Mr Siddique described a earlier mannequin as ‘fats with the pig nostril’ and that he created a ‘poisonous work surroundings the place folks feared for his or her jobs’.

Another member of workers stated that she needed to strive on garments to see in the event that they match, regardless of this not being a part of her job. Staff stated Mr Siddique was ‘very innapropriate’ and had ‘raging arguments’ within the workplace.

One employee, who says she was fired with out a good purpose, stated that Mr Siddique described fashions as being ‘too fats’ and that he solely needed ones with ‘large bums and large boobs and a tiny waist’.

A JD Group spokesperson stated: ‘We had been the bulk shareholder in Missy Empire for 18 months between June 2021 and the finished sale of the enterprise in December 2022.

‘Missy Empire was chargeable for the day-to-day operating of the enterprise, together with its personal HR procedures. However, as a big shareholder within the firm, Missy Empire colleagues additionally had the chance to escalate any issues via JD’s HR division or whistleblowing coverage.

‘Everyone has the elemental proper to really feel protected and revered at work. There had been a small variety of points that had been formally reported to the corporate throughout our possession, and these had been investigated totally and addressed consistent with JD Group’s procedures.’

Missy Empire and Frasers Group have been approached for remark.