In 2024, we created a concept design for a Capybara-themed swimsuit and shared it online as an interest check under my brand, Nyahallo. At the time, the design was never officially produced because we assumed there wasn’t enough interest for us to move forward with sampling and manufacturing.
Nearly two years later, followers began messaging me that Retro Stage, a fast fashion company, was selling what appeared to be an unauthorized copy of my design using AI-generated product imagery. The similarities were overwhelming, and after investigating further, I discovered that not only had they recreated my Capybara swimsuit, but they had also listed additional designs that closely resembled other pieces from my brand.
What made the situation even more frustrating was that after initially apologizing, claiming the copying was unintentional, and removing the listing, the products later quietly reappeared on their website.
As a small independent designer, situations like this are incredibly difficult to deal with. Original designs often take months of planning, sketching, sampling, revisions, and personal financial investment before they ever become real products. Seeing that work copied and mass-produced by larger companies can feel deeply discouraging.
I wanted to share this story not only to document what happened, but also to raise awareness about how often independent artists and small brands experience design theft, especially in an era where AI-generated imagery is increasingly being used to recreate and market copied work online.
At the end of the day, this situation reminded me why supporting independent artists and small brands matters so much.
Behind most original designs is usually a small creator or team investing months of work, personal savings, and countless hours into bringing ideas to life. Meanwhile, larger fast fashion companies can often recreate and mass-produce those concepts in a fraction of the time, making it extremely difficult for independent creators to protect their work.
While pursuing legal action internationally is often unrealistic for smaller brands, I honestly believe that raising awareness about companies like this is far more impactful in the long run than lawsuits alone. The power of fast fashion brands ultimately comes from customers who continue supporting them, often without realizing how these companies operate or where many of their designs come from.
By openly discussing situations like this, sharing information, and encouraging people to be more mindful about where they shop, we can directly impact these companies in ways that truly matter. Public awareness, criticism, and consumer boycotts put pressure on brands to change their practices because it affects their reputation, trust, and ultimately their business itself.
Ironically, despite everything that happened, the overwhelming support surrounding this situation has inspired me to finally move forward with officially developing the original Capybara swimsuit design. What began as a stolen concept unexpectedly became motivation to continue creating.
Thank you so much to everyone who shared the post, left supportive comments, tagged me, or supported Nyahallo directly. Every bit of support genuinely helps independent artists continue creating original work despite challenges like these.
And most importantly, thank you for caring about original art and design in the first place. <3
