Kylie Jenner released her camo collection on Thursday via kyliejennershop.com and it’s starting a war of words.
The reality star has been called out on social media for copying the camo designs from New York-based indie brand PluggedNYC. The street chic line, founded by Tizita Balemlay in January 2016, is described as representing “a women’s versatility, her capability to be both street and chic when she pleases.”
Balemlay took to Instagram to post a collage that features Jenner wearing her camo clothes, drawing the similarities to PluggedNYC pieces. “When you really Pablo… I am the influence,” she captioned. “Copy & Paste down to the shoes I used on my models.”
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In another Instagram, she shared photos of Rihanna and Keke Palmer in her matching two-piece camos. “I can’t remember one brand that sold matching Camo two pieces that weren’t generic tees with cargo for ladies before my brand, unless it was custom,” she wrote. “I started my brand with pennies funny how someone can just take a whole movement bc of how much money and power they have.”
Jenner’s camo is priced from $10 to $70 and PluggedNYC’s starts at around $40.
The Cut also points out a screenshot of an email exchange, posted on Twitter, that reveals Kylie’s team asking Balemlay about a swim care package and making custom tops for her in different colors.
The black owned company that Kylie stole her camo clothes idea from is posting the receipts of when Kylie ordered from them and I’m LIVING pic.twitter.com/4r0xEwhw6o
— Kelsha. (@kelshareese) June 9, 2017
Jenner has been slammed for cultural appropriation, too. After Perez Hilton posted a tweet saying the 19-year-old was making “camo bikinis a thing,” social media was quick to point out that Destiny’s Child first wore the look in their 2001 “Survivor” music video. “I need white people to know that all the trends they think the Kardashians/Jenners are the 1st to start have been done by Black people since,” wrote one Twitter user. She’s been accused of appropriating black culture in the past for wearing cornrows.
Jenner, who was also accused of copying brand Cake Asia’s flame-printed pieces earlier this year, has yet to address the issue.
