Designer alleges influencer Kashish Kapoor damaged Rs 85,000 couture gown, refused compensation

New Delhi: Designer Smita Shrinivas has publicly accused influencer Kashish Kapoor and Dot Media Agency of damaging a couture gown worth Rs 85,000 and refusing to pay the agreed compensation.

In an Instagram post, the designer claimed the incident began when the influencer marketing agency, Dot Media, took a custom green gown, originally sized S, for Kapoor despite her requiring an XS. The gown, according to the post, was returned in a damaged condition, “wet, dusty, crumpled, and stuffed inside-out,” rendering it unsellable and unfit for reuse.

The designer said that after discussions, both parties agreed on a Rs 40,000 compensation, less than half the gown’s value, to resolve the matter. However, weeks allegedly passed with repeated delays, excuses, and, eventually, Kapoor blocking the designer on social media.

When the agency was contacted again, the designer alleged they offered a “social media shoutout” instead of monetary compensation, an offer she rejected.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SMITA SHRINIVAS (@smita._.shrinivas)

“This is our reality,” the designer wrote, pointing to a wider problem faced by small labels: garments sent for collaborations being mishandled, returned in poor condition, and compensated with promises of “exposure” rather than payment.

The post urged fellow designers to take precautions, including documenting transactions and taking deposits, before sending pieces for collaborations.

Kapoor and Dot Media Agency have not yet issued a public response to the allegations.