One New York woman is suing the clothing retailer Zara after a dress she bought came with an unwanted accessory: A dead rat sewn into the hem.
Cailey Fiesel, 24, bought two dresses “off the rack” from a Zara store in Greenwich, Conn. Back in July. After returning home, she hung both the dresses up before wearing one of them to work in August, according to court documents. When Fiesel wore the dress to work on Aug. 16, she noticed a “pungent odor,” but wasn’t able to figure out where it was coming from.
As the day went on, Fiesel claims she noticed what “felt like a loose string” from the dress brushing up against her leg. But when she bent down to investigate, she noticed something entirely unexpected:
“To her utter shock and disbelief, as she ran her hand over the hem of the dress, she felt an unusual bulge and suddenly realized that it was not a string that was rubbing against her leg, but was instead a leg rubbing against her leg,” the court documents state. “The leg of a dead rodent, that is.”
Now, Fiesel, who is represented by Morelli Law Firm PLLC, is suing for negligence and is seeking damages “in a sum that will fairly and adequately compensate her for the damages and injuries she has suffered,” according to the court documents. Beyond the shock of finding a rat in her dress, Fiesel also reportedly developed a rash that was later diagnosed as a rodent-borne disease.
Currently, it’s not clear what type of rodent was supposedly in Fiesel’s dress or how it got there.
“Zara USA is aware of the allegation and we are investigating the matter further,” a Zara USA spokesperson said. “The brand has stringent quality controls and health and safety standards worldwide that are followed and met in manufacturing, including stitching and pressing. We are committed to ensuring that all of our products meet these rigorous requirements.”
This is story has been updated to reflect comment from Zara.