Niasia Boykin, a talent manager at the influencer agency The Brownstone Collective, has criticized the swimsuit brand Cupshe for alleged racial discrimination. On June 4, Boykin posted screenshots on Threads of an email exchange in which a representative from the swimsuit brand allegedly stated that they would not partner with Black people for their current...
Niasia Boykin, a talent manager at the influencer agency The Brownstone Collective, has criticized the swimsuit brand Cupshe for alleged racial discrimination.
On June 4, Boykin posted screenshots on Threads of an email exchange in which a representative from the swimsuit brand allegedly stated that they would not partner with Black people for their current campaign.
A screenshot of an alleged email in Boykin’s post shows a brand representative writing to her, “We would not collab with Black people on this campaign.”
A representative for Cupshe confirmed to People recently that the brand is “aware of the situation” and has “taken action to address this.”
“Our team was disturbed to learn that these interactions took place. The employee responsible was four days into her employment when this occurred, and was immediately terminated. The comments made do not in any way reflect Cupshe’s practices, or the way we engage with creators and partners both internally and externally. We deeply regret the harm and disappointment this incident has caused,” a statement read.
“As a company works with a diverse cohort of creators, we are disheartened by this incident and how it has misrepresented us,” the representative added. “We are conducting a thorough internal review and are committed to strengthening our hiring, training, and oversight processes to help ensure this does not happen again, and that every Cupshe team member aligns with our core values and priorities.”
In her post, Boykin explained that she had pitched the brand on behalf of several of the creators she represents.
“This is racial discrimination,” Boykin wrote. “It is illegal. And it happens in influencer marketing more than anyone wants to admit, usually just more quietly than this. Saving my receipts.”
She went on to say in a later post that before she received that last message, she and the person who was purportedly sending her the email had been “in conversation over a few messages” and had exchanged briefs.
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A few hours later, Boykin posted another update to Threads along with an additional email from the company.
“We are shocked and devastated to see this email,” a spokesperson allegedly wrote. “The message you received is not reflective of Cupshe, our values, or the way we partner with our creators. We cherish our relationships with our creators and we sincerely apologize for the experience and any harm or frustration it may have caused. As a result, the employee responsible is no longer with the company.”
The email also stated that the brand has “taken immediate action internally and are reviewing our processes to ensure our standards are upheld moving forward.” According to the screenshot she attached, the email was left unsigned.
Boykin expressed her dissatisfaction with the company’s alleged response in a Threads post, writing, “Smh what kind of apology is this with no name attached?”