British fashion tycoon behind celebrity favourite brand Kitson being sued for $1million after allegedly swearing at staff in LA branch

  • Kitson fashion brand founder allegedly swore at employees in LA store 
  • Fraser Ross, from Aberdeen, faces $1million lawsuit following dispute
  • Firm running his store at LA Airport want to end their business relationship
  • Stores popular with celebrities including Victoria Beckham and Lady Gaga

By Ollie Gillman for MailOnline

Published: 07:37 EST, 5 April 2015 | Updated: 11:28 EST, 5 April 2015

Fraser Ross, who founded the Kitson fashion brand, is caught up in a $1million legal wrangle after being accused of swearing at staff in a Los Angeles store

Fraser Ross, who founded the Kitson fashion brand, is caught up in a $1million legal wrangle after being accused of swearing at staff in a Los Angeles store

The tycoon behind exclusive fashion brand Kitson has been caught up in a $1million legal wrangle after being accused of swearing at staff in a Los Angeles store.

Fraser Ross, who founded the company, is embroiled in a legal dispute after his behaviour led the company running the Kitson branch in Los Angeles Airport (LAX) to file a lawsuit to end their business relationship.

Kitson, which has shops in California and the Far East, is hugely popular with celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga and Kylie and Kendall Jenner, who have all been spotted with the brand's blue bags.

The multi-millionaire, from Aberdeen, is in the midst of an ugly public battle over allegations he swore at workers at the LAX outlet.

Despite bearing the Kitson name - Mr Ross' middle-name - the two stores in LAX are not run by him.

Instead, another business called Hudson pays Kitson a licensing fee to use the brand.

It is alleged that Mr Ross is unhappy with the way the shops are being managed and has made his feelings clear to staff. 

Now Hudson has filed a $1million lawsuit to end the business relationship.

Brian Timmons, a lawyer for Hudson, said: 'This is like a dysfunctional marriage that has been going on for a long time.' 

In 2013, Hudson inserted a clause into the contract with Kitson, giving it power to veto any Kitson employee coming to the airport stores.

Mr Timmons claims that the firm abided by the agreement until last spring, when Mr Ross began showing up without warning and behaving 'inappropriately' toward employees.

He said: 'He started saying, "you are running the brand into the ground. There is too much dust on the shelves". Lots of nitpicky things.

'It's one thing to correct performance or provide criticism to employees. You know the difference when you go over the line, when you use inappropriate adjectives.'

Kitson is popular with celebrities, including the likes of Kendall and Kylie Jenner (left) and Jennifer Love Hewitt (right)

Despite bearing the Kitson name - Mr Ross' middle-name - the two stores in LAX  (pictured) are not run by him

Despite bearing the Kitson name - Mr Ross' middle-name - the two stores in LAX  (pictured) are not run by him

According to the LA Times, Hudson asked Kitson to pay a $280,000 penalty for violating the terms of their agreement and another $750,000 as compensation for lost profits and the costs of re-branding the two stores after the partnership is terminated.

Last month Kitson launched a counter legal action saying that Hudson failed to keep the airport stores sufficiently clean, organised and staffed, and sold non-Kitson merchandise in them. 

Kitson spokeswoman Courtney Saavedra said Mr Ross did not want to comment.

She added: 'Our founder is very passionate about our brand and being represented correctly. That is never going to change.

'As far as berating employees, as far as the language they are stating that's used, that's simply not true.'

 

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