Awww, wayda minute!
Source: Prince Williams/WireImage
After Jayda Cheaves was called out for copying the designs of Eau Noir Swim, a small black-women-owned swimwear brand, she apologized for mimicking the collection’s signature Flower Bomb bathing suit.
The fashion faux drama started on May 14 when Cheaves took to Instagram to tease a swimsuit that would be offered through her Waydamin Clothing brand. The bright orange bikini looked nearly identical to Eaunoir Swim’s Flower Bomb bathing suit. Via her Instagram Story, she shared multiple colors of the forthcoming bikini, telling fans that it was in production.
Eaunoir Swim’s Friend Called Out Cheaves
Excitement for the sexy rose-shaped swimwear item exploded across the internet, but the fanfare quickly subsided when an X user named, @Chelseaaaah_ stepped in and accused Cheaves of “stealing” from her friend, @imonlycai, the owner of Eaunoir Swim.
“It’s a shame that my friend worked so had for business for years just for JAYDA WAYDA TO STEAL HER WHOLE S*** after she was PAID to wear and post my friend’s bikini!!! WEIRDO FLEX,” the X netizen penned.
She included photos of Cheaves wearing a yellow version of the brand’s Flower Bomb item, which was posted to the Eaunoir Swim Instagram account back in 2021.
In a subsequent post @Chelseaaaah_ added;
“You really see stuff like this happen all the time with influencers stealing designs from black owned businesses but this is hitting different. My friend @imonlycai literally makes each swimsuit BY HAND and here go Jayda stealing it and sending it to CHINA for production!!”
After the receipts were shared over seven thousand times on X, @imonlycai, took to the Eaunoir Swim Instagram account to share more about her frustration with Cheaves blatantly ripping off her design.
In a lengthy post, the designer explained that she launched Eaunoir Swim in 2019 to help fund her nursing school education. That same year, @imonlycai debuted her unique Flower Bomb bathing suit, and a year later she reached out to Cheaves to help model the item for promotion. After agreeing upon a $4,000 fee to showcase the sexy bikini, Cheaves’ manager allegedly “confirmed via phone that she would wear it during her vacation in Turks with Lil Baby in September 2020,” the designer said.
“We kept in touch through messages and emails regarding the delivery and wearing of the bathing suit. When Jayda wore it, she tagged our Instagram page in her post and IG story. I continued to communicate with her about future arrangements and provided samples and design concepts for her to wear in 2021,” she continued.
“However, she expressed her focus on launching her own brand. By June 2021, we initiated the process of copyrighting the bathing suit for legal protection. Despite having numerous influencers and celebrities endorsing our flower bomb bathing suit, it is disheartening to address the situation where hard working women are taken advantage of by influencers who mimic our original work. Stay tuned for Summer 24′.”
Cheaves caught wind of all the controversy and seemingly confessed to using @imonlycai’s design as an influence for her Waydamin Clothing bikini noting that it was on her “mood board.”
“Oh it’s NO shade. The girl I promoted back in 2020 was on the mood board for this summer’s swim,” wrote Jayda. “That’s what fashion is about remaking and recreating. It’s no shade at all. I never take offense when I’m on somebody’s mood board, it’s how it go,” the model wrote in a message shared to her Instagram Story, according to a photo shared to @Chelseaaaah_ ‘s account.
Social media wasn’t too pleased by the Instagram influencer’s nonchalant reaction and urged for her to take accountability while labeling her a “mean girl.”
Cheaves must have had a change of heart because hours later, the 26-year-old star messaged @imonlycai on the Eaunoir Swim Instagram page, apologizing for ripping off her design. She also agreed to stop production of her Waydamin Clothing bikini, according to a screenshot obtained by The Shade Room.
“I definitely understand how this made you feel because I’ve been a victim of things like this before & I’d hate to not go about this the right way without taking the accountability as a Black female business owner as well,” Jayda wrote. “Maybe one day we can collaborate on something even hotter. Xoxo, sorry again.”
What do you think? Was Jayda in the wrong?