Earlier this week, Kylie Jenner dropped a line of camouflage-themed items, including camo swimwear, on The Kylie Shop.
Jenner seemed super excited for the new line…
…and there were definitely some cute looks!
The only problem? Kylie’s line eerily resembles that of PluggedNYC, a clothing brand sold on ASOS.
And making things even MORE interesting is the fact that Jenner has worn items from PluggedNYC before.
Designer Tizita Balemlay, the creative force behind PluggedNYC, spoke to BuzzFeed about her relationship with Jenner — and her thoughts on Kylie’s new line.
PluggedNYC’s line launched around Memorial Day of this year, but Balemlay says she sent Jenner knit and camo items from her line after Jenner’s stylist reached out a few months back. Balemlay said she was “so excited” when Jenner’s stylist reached out to collaborate — and Jenner was the FIRST person to receive PluggedNYC’s camo set.
Balemlay — whose clothing has been worn by other celebs like Rihanna and Jhene Aiko — said that “hundreds” of people started tagging her and her brands when Kylie announced her camo line.
“At the end of the day money equals power and the Kardashians have that power. This is a prime example,” Balemlay told BuzzFeed. “I don’t have the buzz she does or the money for billboards.”
People online were quick to point out the similarity between Kylie’s work and PluggedNYC’s line.
A family full of unoriginality pic.twitter.com/I640NbbLCG
— . (@naijaeaux) June 7, 2017
And Balemlay posted this side-by-side to her personal Instagram with a pretty searing caption.
She captioned it:
“When you really Pablo… I am the influence *drops mic. Copy & Paste down to the shoes I used on my models 😂😭 The kardashains will take your nigga & brand I stamp lmfaooo #WeAreTheCulture”
It also looks like Balemlay might have posted the email exchange between her and Jenner’s stylist regarding the camo swimwear, only to take it down:
Jenner has been criticized in the past for appropriating and/or stealing the work of other women, especially women of color.
This has happened numerous times, from her Lipkit line to her overall fashion aesthetic — and she’s also come under fire for wearing cornrows.
Of course, neither Kylie nor PluggedNYC were the first to rock camo swimwear — *COUGH DESTINY’S CHILD COUGH* — but does something seem fishy here?
