An African-American college student is suing Barneys New York and the city 's police department , saying he was racially profiled and later detained by police , according to court documents filed in Manhattan Supreme Court . New York City College of Technology student Trayon Christian , who was 18 at the time , entered Barneys New York on Madison Avenue on April 29 to buy a Ferragamo belt he had seen rappers wear on television , Christian 's attorney , Michael Palillo , told CNN on Wednesday . When Christian went to pay for the belt with his debit card at a register , a Barneys cashier asked for identification . Christian showed the cashier his driver 's license , paid for the belt with his card , signed the receipt and left the luxury department store with the belt in a Barneys bag . He walked a block before two undercover police officers stopped him , Palillo said . Hollywood couple stopped by police , say they were racially profiled . The officers asked Christian for his identification and asked what was in the Barneys bag . When they saw the designer belt , they asked him how he was able to afford it , Palillo said . The officers allegedly accused him of purchasing the belt with a fraudulent card and said they had received a call from Barneys , according to Palillo . In a prepared statement , a Barneys representative said that Barneys New York `` typically does not comment on pending litigation . '' The representative said that in this instance , the company felt compelled to say `` that after carefully reviewing the incident of last April , it is clear that no employee of Barneys New York was involved in the pursuit of any action with the individual other than the sale . Barneys New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination and we stand by our long history in support of all human rights . '' Feds : Two Connecticut cops found guilty of civil rights violations against Latinos . The two officers handcuffed Christian on the sidewalk and placed him into a police vehicle , according to the court documents filed Monday . Christian was detained in a holding cell for two hours and interrogated , as police contacted Chase Bank to check his card , Palillo said . When they confirmed that his card was valid , police released Christian and apologized , Palillo said . `` But it was n't a sincere 'sorry , ' more of a matter-of-fact 'sorry , ' `` he added . The New York Police Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment . Palillo said this is a clear case of racial profiling by the department store and police . `` This is an outrage . He committed no crime , '' he said . `` He 's a young black male who likes fashion . '' Palillo recently received a call from another man who said he experienced a similar incident at Barneys -- an injustice that appears to happen too often , Palillo said . `` You really hate to think that in today 's day and age that people are still being judged by the color of their skin , '' he said . 16-minute video of Philly cops in controversial stop sparks criticism , probe .
`` Barneys New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination , '' company says . College of Technology student bought a belt at the department store , attorney says . He says two undercover officers stopped him , accused him of using a fraudulent card . He was handcuffed , taken to a police station and held for two hours , attorney says .