Perry Ellis Settles Homophobic Case

Perry Ellis has settled the recent lawsuit filed against it claiming that it has a homophobic and racist policy. The complaint, which was brought by Joseph Cook - president of Original Penguin's wholesale division, owned by Perry Ellis International - was "amicably resolved", according to the New York Post.

Cook claimed in October that he was "forced to endure highly offensive homophobic, racial and ethnic slurs" from Oscar Feldenkreis, president and chief operating officer, whose father, George, is the chairman and CEO. Yesterday, the company released the following statement on behalf of Cook:

"Perry Ellis is a diverse and inclusive company, and has always been so. My overall tenure at the company demonstrates that the comments I complained about are not reflective of the overall culture of Perry Ellis, the character of its leadership, or the Feldenkreis family."

The company also stated that, as of January 22, Cook will no longer work for them - a decision it said its employee made "on his own".