Fashion designer Vickys__ Empire (Instagram handle) has publicly called out a Liberian couple for refusing to complete payment for a custom wedding dress she made for the bride, Tutu Fabulousbarbie Kormah (Facebook name).
According to Vicky, the couple owed her $600 USD for over three months after receiving the dress. She revealed that they only paid $50 out of the full amount and ignored all her calls and messages until she started exposing them on Snapchat.
Vicky shared her side of the story on Instagram, saying:
- She made the wedding dress with her own money, trusting the couple to pay the full amount later.
- Just 7 days before the wedding, the bride and her family started begging Vicky to send the dress, claiming the bride had no other dress to wear.
- The bride promised to pay after the wedding when money was “sprayed” (a tradition where guests give cash gifts at weddings).
- Vicky sent the dress to Liberia (the couple lives in the U.S. but are Liberian).
- Once they received the dress, they ghosted her, no replies to calls or messages.
Frustrated, Vicky began calling them out on Snapchat, and only then did people who knew the couple reach out to pressure them. They eventually paid half $300 USD, but the full amount of remaining $300 is still unpaid.
Vicky believes they took advantage of her because:
- She’s Nigerian, not from their country.
- She’s not in the U.S., making it harder to pursue legal action.
Many small business owners, especially in fashion, face similar issues, clients refusing to pay after receiving goods. Vicky’s situation highlights the risks of trusting clients without full payment upfront.
Vicky is still hoping for the remaining payment, but her story has sparked discussions online about fair treatment of designers and the importance of honoring business agreements.
What do you think? Should designers always collect full payment before delivery? Have you ever experienced something similar? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
