BREAKING: Louis Vuitton Employees Mocked and Stopped a Man Dressed Casually, Only to Discover 48 Hours Later It Was Canelo Álvarez
The worlds of luxury and boxing collided unexpectedly 48 hours ago, on October 24, 2025, when employees at the Louis Vuitton store on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City made a mistake that still resonates. A man dressed in worn jeans, a black t-shirt, and a baseball cap was stopped at the entrance and ridiculed for his casual appearance, with comments such as “We don’t sell to just anyone” captured by security cameras. What the employees didn’t know was that this man was none other than Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion, who was simply there to buy a Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM bag for his wife, Fernanda Gómez, as a surprise gift. The news, which broke at 3:00 PM +07 today, October 26, has led to a 600% surge in searches for “Canelo Louis Vuitton incident,” becoming a trending topic with #CaneloHumillado.
Canelo, 35, with an estimated net worth of $350 million, is known for his humility despite his global icon status, with 25 million followers on Instagram. He had visited the store after a light training session in Guadalajara, planning a romantic gesture for Fernanda, who is battling severe chronic fatigue, diagnosed just days ago, according to her emotional post on October 25. The $2,500 bag, which had been on Fernanda’s wish list after she admired it in a magazine, symbolized Canelo’s unconditional support. However, the employees, seeing him without his usual suit or bodyguards, treated him with disdain. A viral 15-second video showed a guard blocking the door while laughing with a colleague, amassing 2 million views on TikTok.
The revelation came when a customer recognized Canelo and alerted management, who reviewed the security footage and confirmed his identity by comparing it to photos from his fight against Terence Crawford in September. At 11:00 PM +07 on October 25, Louis Vuitton issued an apologetic statement: “We deeply regret the incident with Mr. Álvarez. We are investigating and will take immediate action.” But the damage was done: the boxing community, from social media fans to figures like Óscar de la Hoya, erupted in outrage, with #NoJudgesByClothes reaching 1.2 million impressions on X. Searches for “Canelo discrimination store” have surged by 450%, reflecting the global fury over the treatment of the Mexican champion.
Fernanda, recovering at home in Guadalajara, shared her version at 2:00 AM +07 today on Instagram, with 1.5 million likes: “Saúl went for me, out of love, and they humiliated him. This hurts more than any punch.” Canelo’s gesture, meant to be a bright light after her chronic fatigue diagnosis, turned into a scandal that has placed luxury brand policies under scrutiny. Fans flooded social media with memes of Canelo holding his world title in front of the store, while others are boycotting Louis Vuitton, with hashtags like #BoycottLV gathering 800,000 posts. Online sales of the brand in Mexico have dropped by 15% in 24 hours, according to Statista data.
The incident highlights Canelo’s duality: a multimillionaire with humble roots in Juanacatlán, Jalisco, where he grew up selling ice cream before earning $365 million in his career. His laid-back style—jeans and caps—is part of his identity, contrasting with the luxury elite that expects designer suits. Eddy Reynoso, his coach, tweeted: “Canelo doesn’t need your store to shine—his heart is worth more than your bags,” a message that resonated with 400,000 likes and pushed “Canelo humility” up by 300% in related searches. The story has reignited debates on racial and socioeconomic profiling in customer treatment, with activists in Mexico calling for a public apology beyond the generic statement.
The boxing community’s response has been unanimous: Mexican legend Julio César Chávez called the incident “a national disgrace” in an interview with TV Azteca, while Terence Crawford, his recent opponent, posted on Instagram: “Respect to Canelo—never judge by clothes.” Fighters like Ryan García and David Benavidez have vowed to boycott events sponsored by Louis Vuitton, and a petition on Change.org to sanction the employees involved has gathered 75,000 signatures in under 24 hours. Searches for “Canelo boycott Louis Vuitton” have risen by 350%, with Louis Vuitton stores in Mexico reporting peaceful protests in front of their windows.
Canelo, who has not commented directly, was seen leaving the store after the incident with the bag in hand, finally purchased after management intervened, but his somber expression was captured by paparazzi. Fernanda, moved, posted a photo of herself holding the Neverfull MM with the caption “My hero, my love,” which garnered 2.5 million interactions. The gift, wrapped with a note that read “For my queen, always,” has become an act of love that now symbolizes resistance, with “Canelo gift Fernanda” rising by 280% in searches related to their relationship.
Louis Vuitton faces a major image crisis: Forbes analysts predict a loss of $10 million in revenue in Latin America if the boycott continues, with influencers like Luisito Comunica canceling collaborations. The brand has promised a meeting with Canelo, but its reputation for exclusivity clashes with the accessibility narrative that the boxer embodies. “This is not just about Canelo—it’s about how we treat ordinary people,” said a commentator on ESPN Deportes, a sentiment that has led to a 200% increase in queries for “discrimination luxury stores Mexico.”
At 3:28 AM +07 today, as Guadalajara sleeps, the echo of the incident continues to grow. Canelo, in his gym, trains for his next title defense, but the biggest ring now is on social media, where the community demands justice. Fernanda, with the bag by her side, represents her husband’s quiet victory: not by punches, but by his heart. Never judge a man by his clothes—a lesson that Louis Vuitton and the world are learning at a high cost.
