Popular Turkish influencer Türkan Atay, known for her Urdu-language content and massive following in Pakistan, has publicly accused renowned designer Maria B of failing to fully compensate her for a professional shoot conducted in Turkey earlier this year.
Türkan, often referred to as “Pakistani Bhabhi” by fans due to her marriage to a Pakistani man and close ties to the country, shared her frustration in an emotional video on Instagram, claiming that Maria B failed to clear the agreed payment for a 2025 photoshoot project.
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In her video, Türkan detailed how she was approached by Maria B’s team for a photoshoot in Turkey and was clear about charging per dress to cover all production expenses, including venue and models. She claims that despite completing the shoot, posting the content, and communicating clearly, the brand only paid a lump sum and later claimed there had been a “misunderstanding.”
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“It’s been three months now—they’re wasting my time and treating me like a fool,” Türkan said. “Please return my money. I have every right to it, and I’ll never work with you again.”
After Maria B issued a statement calling the situation a “regrettable misunderstanding”, Türkan hit back on Instagram Stories, alleging that the designer deleted messages and failed to respond directly.
“Maria Baji, I hear you loud and clear — but I have the full chat screenshots. Why delete your messages? Why not pay us?” she asked, accusing the brand of unprofessionalism and dishonesty.
Maria B responded with a formal statement, saying the brand has a 25-year history of ethical partnerships with influencers and that the situation with Türkan was never a refusal to pay, but a misunderstanding.
“A meeting was set up to address the issue, but the influencer chose to make a defaming reel instead,” the statement read.
The controversy has sparked a wave of online backlash against Maria B, with social media users accusing her of playing the religion card and gaslighting creators. Many praised Türkan for speaking up, calling her “brave for exposing an issue many influencers stay silent about.” Others said this is not an isolated case and pointed out similar issues with other fashion brands. “Finally, someone dared to say it out loud — brands treat influencers like they’re disposable,” one user commented.
