Sierra Leone’s Leading Luxury Kaftan Designer Sai Sankoh Unapologectically Drags BFyne for Plagiarism

The fashion industry could be very competitive and challenging for a newbie; however, with the right amount of creativity and hard work, things eventually fall in place. We have seen African fashion brands like BFyne, Sai Sankoh, Don Morphy and many contemporary brands made their big breakthrough. Similarly, this is via hard work and finding a unique selling point. With all the challenges within the industry, the act of copyright is always a harrowing one for designers.

Swimwear Brand BFyne Accused of Plagiarism By Sai Sankoh

Unfortunately, it turns out, a victim of plagiarism is now an offender of the crime of piracy. Nigerian fashion brand BFyne a label that specialises in sexy tropical print swimwears in cut-out details has committed the capital crime in fashion. Copy work. The brand well known for its stylish one-piece and two-piece swimwear in African print fabrics designs and cover-ups introduced kaftans to their collection. To say nothing about the similarities between the aesthetics would be playing blind to the undeniable fact. Sai Sankoh has called the brand out for stealing their kaftan designs in the brands latest collection. The Nigerian-American designer Buki Ade has not yet responded but here is what we know.

Bfyne posted two kaftans aligned side-by-side on their Instagram account, asking their followers the simple question Left or Right? Without a doubt, the similarities are uncanny and look precisely like Sai Sankoh’s luxury multi-print kaftans we have all seen online and styled by celebrities.

Sai Sankoh Calls Out swimwear Brand Be-Fine

What We Know About Sai Sankoh Kaftans

To imitate someone is to pay the person a genuine compliment — often an unintended compliment.

However, this is not the first time we have heard a designer accused another of copy work in the industry. Roberto Cavalli accused the American designer Michael Kors of copying his creation. Accusing the latter of being the “biggest copy designer in the world “. Here is the gag! Even the innovative Bfyne fashion house was affected by a plagiarism row when renowned Brazilian designer Silvia Ulson stole Bfyne designs and used in their collection and runway presentation. Buki Ade creative head of the brand was quick to call out the white brand for theft of their intellectual property. With this in mind, we are appalled to see the brand exhibit ‘double standards’ in the fashion industry. If it is not okay for a white-owned brand to do to you, it shouldn’t be okay for you to do the same to a black-owned brand.

When Sai Sankoh speaks luxury silk kaftans, the world of kaftans lovers listen. Why? She worked extremely hard to get her brand to where it is today and stood out for her creativity and desire to dress the biggest names in fashion. Has she achieved this? Lord knows you must be living in Mars if you did not spot Beyonce in a Sai Sankoh luxury kaftan. Sankon has made her name from her vibrant couture dresses but in particular, her multi-colour silk kaftans.