Odd Muse founder Aimee Smale fights back against fast fashion controversy on TikTok
TikTok is a powerful tool. Whether you’re promoting a new song, the owner of a business, or the victim of a personal grievance, one TikTok video can make or break your entire future. Okay, maybe not your entire future, but you get what I mean. Aimee Smale, the 27-year-old founder of the British fashion brand Odd Muse, identified the force of the video-sharing platform early on and used it to catapult her company to widespread success. However, Smale has recently found herself at the centre of controversy, having discovered that TikTok can go from friend to foe incredibly quickly, and without warning.
For context, Odd Muse describes itself as a luxury women’s fashion brand, encouraging its consumers to “invest in timeless style & quality designed to last.” Smale has documented her journey creating the brand on her social media pages, regularly using her platform to educate other founders on the challenges facing the fashion industry right now.
@aimeesmalex Can't wait to take you all with me!!! this is my FD making sure I don't just move to NYC and rot on my laptop all day lol #oddmuselondon #oddmuse #brand #business
♬ original sound - Aimee Smale
Odd Muse has, for the most part, gone unscathed on TikTok—with netizens regularly marveling at the clothing’s quality and, indeed, Smale’s dedication to sustainable fashion. However, that recently changed.
This saga began with a series of videos posted by creator @plzdontbuythat, an account dedicated to fashion education which regularly includes calling out brands who are unethical and participate in fast fashion.
@plzdontbuythat @houseofcb still waiting on that list of a few countries your products are produced in. Surely you’re utilizing the highest quality production and paying the garment workers fairly with those asinine retails. Weird you wouldn’t call that out on your website though. #fyp #plzdontbuythat #houseofcb
♬ original sound - mallory brooks •plzdontbuythat
@plzdontbuythat Forever baffled by how many brands get away with this. 😅 #fyp #plzdontbuythat #oddmuse #faatfashion Legal Disclaimer: this is all public information and/or my opinion.
♬ original sound - mallory brooks •plzdontbuythat
@plzdontbuythat @Odd Muse London review anyone? 👀 #fyp #plzdontbuythat #oddmuse
♬ original sound - mallory brooks •plzdontbuythat
In one of the videos the creator posted about this situation, she stated: “I was introduced to the brand Odd Muse this week and she [Smale] loves to describe the company as ‘slow fashion’ and ‘sustainable,’ within about 42 seconds of entering the website it’s really clear they are fast fashion by ever sense of the definition. She takes the angle that because the retails are really high and they’re made really well that they’re investment pieces, well let me just be clear in saying that it’s my belief that there is zero room for you to call a polyester dress an investment piece, which is what 95 per cent of the dresses are, high grade polyester.”
“It’s all just marketing, it’s all bullsh*t, it is not governed by any laws, people can say whatever they want. And obviously it works,” the user continued.
Following this, Smale saw the videos and subsequently commented on one of them saying “this is such a wild statement.” The founder also went on to allegedly say that accounts like this would be the “downfall of TikTok.”
@plzdontbuythat Replying to @Aimee Smale I would be happy to be proven wrong if you’re willing to provide some proof and data to all of these sustainability claims about your brand that you’ve never once provided to the public before. #fyp #oddmuse #plzdontbuythat
♬ original sound - mallory brooks •plzdontbuythat
The creator doubled down and what followed looked like a pretty messy back and forth between Smale and plzdontbuythat. On top of this, comments began piling up, some of which seemed to be in agreement with the influencer. However there were also thousands of comments from netizens who didn’t appreciate the creator’s approach, and criticised the videos she was making.
@plzdontbuythat Replying to @Aimee Smale are you okay
♬ original sound - mallory brooks •plzdontbuythat
@plzdontbuythat Replying to @Aimee Smale tag me next time in your video 🫶🏻 #fyp #plzdontbuythat
♬ Yacht Club - MusicBox
One user wrote: “Girl I see your point, but these past videos come across pretty nasty—you can bring light to information on a business for their customers, but it seems like you’re trying to take this further and it’s not okay.”
Another noted: “These videos come across very ‘mean girl.’ You have a lot of experience in the fashion industry but the way you go about creating videos on Odd Muse it looks like you are doing it just for the views, which loses you credibility. Really disappointing as you do have knowledge to really educate.”
Arguments ignited over this feud, with new videos being released regarding founders and how it’s their responsibility to remain accountable and accept feedback. These videos were then met with differing opinions, discussions around how it’s important to not dogpile onto individuals just because they’re in the public eye.
Smale has shared how this recent backlash has affected her, also attempting to clear her name by sharing the details of her Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) audit.
Naturally, this still wasn’t enough to squash things, with plzdontbuythat swiftly replying to the post and pointing out that there is more to that report that isn’t being shared.
@plzdontbuythat Lookup the factories the companies you buy from are utilizing, it’s public information. 🤍 #fyp #oddmuse #plzdontbuythat Legal Disclaimer: this is my opinion and/or public information.
♬ original sound - mallory brooks •plzdontbuythat
It’s likely that this back and forth will fizzle out at some point, TikTok drama always ends eventually. Currently, fashion brands are under more scrutiny than ever. And while transparency is crucial for an emerging brand to last the test of time, it’s also important to consider the fact that most battles worth our attention don’t need to take place on social media.
