Trend Nova Removes Costume After Hanifa Copying Accusations

Hanifa founder Anifa Mvuemba didn’t identify the fast-fashion retailer in her viral tweet in regards to the alleged knockoff, however commenters have been fast to name it out.

Trend Nova has as soon as once more discovered itself in scorching water after seemingly ripping off one other model’s design. This time, it is being accused of copying Black-owned knitwear model Hanifa.

On Monday, Hanifa Founder and Artistic Director Anifa Mvuemba took to Twitter to share pictures of one among her clothes alongside a screenshot of an e-commerce web page that includes a strikingly related piece. “Solely as a result of this pattern took me monthssss to excellent. That is truly loopy. I am not going to tag or point out them. However that is loopy,” she wrote.

The now-viral tweet saved the copycat’s identify nameless, however commenters have been fast to name out Trend Nova because the offender. Mvuemba declined to remark for this text.

The merchandise in query was Trend Nova’s Sahara Sweater Maxi Costume, which options the identical silhouette, sheer sections and jagged color-blocking as Hanifa’s Jax Knit Robe. What units them aside (other than, presumably, material and general high quality) is the discrepancy in value: Trend Nova’s $49.99 piece is a major markdown from Hanifa’s $459 price ticket. The unique model is at the moment bought out on Hanifa’s website.

From Washington, D.C., Mvuemba has constructed a enterprise on loyal prospects, with out counting on approval from trade gatekeepers, whereas additionally working exterior of a significant vogue metropolis. Within the final decade, shea has turn into well-known for her daring, trendy, body-hugging designs and progressive runway ideas. Regardless of Hanifa’s success, the model is comparatively small in comparison with a fast-fashion big like Trend Nova.

Prospects and Hanifa followers have been fast to amplify Mvuemba’s tweet and share their frustration and outrage over the incident and Trend Nova’s ongoing sample of taking a little bit an excessive amount of inspiration from different designers. At press time, the tweet had 21.9K retweets and three,202 quote tweets.

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That is removed from the primary time Trend Nova’s been accused of design theft. The Los Angeles-based firm has even been known as out for copying unbiased Black designers, particularly. In July 2018, designer Jai Good of Kloset Envy uncovered the model for allegedly stealing her work; in 2019 Luci Wilden of Knots and Vibes caught Trend Nova promoting a bit similar to her Pores and skin Out Costume, launched in 2017.

Whereas Trend Nova hasn’t commented publicly on the controversy, the outpour of unfavorable feedback was seemingly efficient: As of Tuesday afternoon, the Sahara Sweater Maxi Costume product web page had disappeared from the fast-fashion retailer’s website.

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