Savannah James and her longtime friend April McDaniel say a pre-booked Hermès shopping appointment in Italy went badly enough that McDaniel later claimed the saleswoman who turned them away was fired.
The wife of LeBron James recalled the encounter alongside McDaniel during the August 7 episode of Danielle Robay’s Question Everything podcast. Savannah confirmed that they had an appointment, while McDaniel described confronting the employee after they were initially refused service.
The experience eventually changed dramatically. The women said they were taken into a private shopping room with champagne and caviar while staff brought out merchandise for them to consider, with Savannah recalling, “They brought out everything.”
The friends also described a separate encounter at a Chanel boutique in Paris, where McDaniel said a sales associate repeatedly instructed Savannah not to touch a miniature handbag.
They Say Hermès Turned Them Away Despite a Shopping Appointment
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McDaniel said she had arranged Hermès appointments while the pair were traveling through Europe, including a stop at the luxury brand’s Milan store. According to PEOPLE, McDaniel said they were treated poorly when they arrived and were initially turned away.
“We had an appointment,” Savannah said during the conversation. McDaniel recalled immediately challenging the situation. She described Savannah as much more restrained in confrontations and said she was willing to step in on her friend’s behalf.
“I said baby you caught the wrong one today,” McDaniel recalled. She also said the pair wanted to see crocodile-leather pieces during the appointment. When Robay asked what happened after the initial encounter, McDaniel said, “And fired the lady,” before continuing her account of confronting the staff member.
They Say the Hermès Visit Ended With Champagne and Caviar
The women said the experience changed after the confrontation. “We were in the private room with champagne and caviar,” McDaniel recalled, before jokingly asking how many handbags the store had available.
“They brought out everything,” Savannah said. McDaniel joked that she expanded her shopping beyond handbags, saying, “I’ll take bathing suits, I’m buying silverware,” and adding that she was “living my best life.”
Page Six reported that the private-room treatment also included macarons. Neither Savannah nor McDaniel disclosed how much they ultimately purchased during the visit.
McDaniel Says She Also Confronted a Chanel Employee in Paris
The Hermès story was not the only luxury-shopping encounter the friends discussed. McDaniel said a male sales associate at a Chanel boutique in Paris repeatedly told Savannah not to touch a miniature handbag. Savannah said there was no sign indicating that customers were prohibited from handling the item.
“Typically when it’s like a exclusive situation, it’ll say, don’t touch,” Savannah said. “I can read. Very much so. And I can see very clearly. And there was nothing that said, don’t touch.”
McDaniel said she again wanted the issue escalated, recalling that she was prepared to call the employee’s boss. When Robay asked whether experiences like those had ruined luxury shopping for her, McDaniel answered, “No.”
Savannah James and April McDaniel Have Built Their Businesses Together
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Savannah and McDaniel’s friendship has also become the foundation of several business and media projects. The pair launched their Everybody’s Crazy podcast in 2024 and announced a holding company called Signed in June 2026.
Fast Company reported that Signed brings together McDaniel’s creative agency Crown+Conquer, the membership community Let It Break and Everybody’s Crazy under one company while providing a platform for future brands.
“For me, building has never been about doing more. It’s been about doing what matters with the right people,” Savannah wrote when announcing the company. “Signed is the result of years of intuition, trust, and ambition.” Signed launched in partnership with MarcyPen Capital Partners, the private equity and venture capital firm co-founded by Jay-Z.