Talent manager Niasia Boykin says Cupshe emailed her that the brand “would not collab with black people this campaign.” After the post went viral, Cupshe said the employee responsible was fired and issued a second apology, while criticizing the claim as not re
A racial discrimination allegation erupted on Threads this week after talent manager Niasia Boykin shared an email she says she received from swimwear brand Cupshe—one that, in plain writing, told her the company “would not collab with black people this campaign.”
Boykin, a talent manager at The Brownstone Collective, said she pitched several creators to Cupshe for an upcoming campaign. Instead of a normal reply. she posted what she described as a racist response tied to the brand’s domain email. In her caption, Boykin wrote that Cupshe’s message was “in writing. On company domain. ” and she called it “racial discrimination” that “is illegal.” She also said she has been keeping “receipts. ” linking the viral moment directly to the fallout she believes is common but often quieter in influencer marketing.
In a follow-up post. Boykin said she and the representative had been “in conversation” over “a few messages” and that she shared briefs before she recommended a few of her clients. Then came the email she shared online. She posted screenshots of the exchange and later returned to Threads hours after the viral post with another email from Cupshe.
That second message claimed the company fired the employee responsible for the earlier communication. Boykin shared the response, which said: “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are shocked and devastated to see this email.” It added that the message she received “is not reflective of Cupshe. our values. or the way we partner with our creators. ” and it said the brand “deeply apologize[d] for the experience and any harm or frustration it may have caused.” The email also stated that “the employee responsible is no longer with the company.”.
Cupshe’s follow-up email further said the brand had “taken immediate action internally and are reviewing our processes to ensure our standards are upheld moving forward.” But Boykin said the anonymous nature of the apology only made things worse. writing: “Smh what kind of apology is this with no name attached?” She questioned why the brand had not gone further after the incident—specifically. why it wasn’t collaborating with her Black clients or other Black influencers following the controversy.
The backlash quickly broadened beyond Boykin’s posts. Bachelorette alum Rachel Lindsay joined the conversation in the comments, addressing Cupshe directly. Lindsay wrote: “Hey @cupshe. This is outrageous. We need to see some action on this not just an email.” She said she wanted to see “some black influencers getting paid to be on the next trip or make one of those swimsuit capsules with you. ” adding that she was “truly sick of people playing in our faces” and tired of being told they “exaggerate that racism is alive and well.”.
Cupshe has not replied publicly to the latest exchanges from either Boykin or Lindsay on social media. However, the brand issued another statement to People on Friday night.
In that statement. a representative said Cupshe is “aware of the situation” and has “taken action to address this.” The rep said the employee responsible was “four days into her employment when this occurred. ” and that the employee was “immediately terminated.” The representative added that “the comments made do not in any way reflect Cupshe’s practices. or the way we engage with creators and partners both internally and externally. ” and that the company “deeply regret[s] the harm and disappointment this incident has caused.”.
The brand also said it is conducting a “thorough internal review” and is “committed to strengthening our hiring. training. and oversight processes” to help ensure the incident does not happen again. emphasizing that every Cupshe team member aligns with the company’s “core values and priorities.” The representative said the company works with a “diverse cohort of creators. ” and said it was disheartened by the incident and how it “has misrepresented” the brand.
Boykin, meanwhile, remained unconvinced by promises alone, calling for visible next steps and urging the brand to collaborate with more Black influencers, creators, and models moving forward.
For now. the dispute sits in the space between an email she says was discriminatory and a corporate response that says it fired the employee and is revising internal processes—while critics continue to demand concrete casting and paid partnership changes. And as the conversation rages on. the question fans are asking is the same one Boykin pushed from the start: what will Cupshe do next. beyond apology?.
Cupshe Niasia Boykin The Brownstone Collective Threads racial discrimination influencer marketing swimwear Rachel Lindsay social media backlash creator partnerships