A visually-impaired individual has taken legal action against a major clothing brand, alleging that the company's website is inaccessible to blind and visually-impaired users. Andre Battle filed a class-action complaint on February 20, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Skims Body, Inc., accusing the company of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to make its website accessible to those who rely on screen-reading software.
Andre Battle, who represents himself and others similarly situated, claims that Skims Body's website, Skims.com, is not designed to be fully accessible to individuals with visual impairments. The lawsuit highlights various barriers on the site that prevent blind users from independently navigating and making purchases. These barriers include inadequate focus order, inaccessible contact information, unclear labels for interactive elements, and reliance on mouse-only navigation which is incompatible with screen readers. Battle attempted to purchase underwear from Skims.com but was unable due to these accessibility issues.
The plaintiff argues that despite available technology and established guidelines like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 for making websites accessible, Skims Body has failed to implement necessary changes. The complaint asserts that this failure denies blind individuals equal access to goods and services offered by Skims Body both online and at physical locations. As such, it violates Title III of the ADA which prohibits discrimination based on disability in places of public accommodation.
Battle seeks a permanent injunction requiring Skims Body to modify its website policies and practices so that it becomes accessible to blind consumers. Additionally, he requests compensatory damages for unlawful discrimination experienced by class members due to these accessibility barriers. The lawsuit emphasizes the need for businesses operating online platforms to ensure their digital spaces are inclusive and compliant with ADA standards.
Representing Battle in this case is attorney Uri Horowitz from Flushing, NY. The case ID is 1:25-cv-01741.