An influential figure in the fashion industry is facing severe criticism online for allegedly buying cheap clothing items from abroad and then reselling them at significantly higher prices to her dedicated followers.
The fashion label PARKE has rapidly gained popularity on platforms like TikTok and Instagram in recent months, with the younger generation eagerly vying for the opportunity to purchase its latest releases.
Founded by the renowned social media personality Chelsea Kramer, the brand is particularly renowned for its sweaters featuring the distinctive PARKE logo, as well as its range of denim tops and shorts, and cozy loungewear, among other apparel.
But its items come at a steep price – one denim skirt, for example, costs $170, while their breezy pajama pants are a whopping $100.
Even so, there’s no denying that the brand has become a massive sensation since it started less than two years ago – and Chelsea recently revealed that the business has brought in a staggering $16 million.
But TikTok’s favorite new clothing company has recently become shrouded in controversy after one woman claimed that she discovered a shocking secret about PARKE.
The woman, who goes by Sustainable Fashion Friend online, claimed in two now-viral videos that she found evidence that Chelsea’s brand buys its clothing pieces from a Chinese supplier known as Alibaba in bulk for a low price, and then resells them for much higher to its dedicated fans.
A representative for the brand has denied her claims to DailyMail.com, stating, ‘As we’ve discussed in recent interviews, we deny all of these claims.’
Popular fashion guru Chelsea Kramer has been fiercely slammed online over claims that she purchases clothing items for cheap overseas and then sells them with a huge markup
A woman who goes by goes by Sustainable Fashion Friend online claimed that Chelsea’s brand Parke buys its clothing pieces from a Chinese supplier known as Alibaba in bulk for a low price
In one of the clips, which was shared last month, Sustainable Fashion Friend said she thought it would be ‘pretty easy’ to find out where the clothes from PARKE were made since it’s a brand that prides itself on ‘transparency.’
‘But if you go to Parke’s website, you aren’t going to see where the clothes are made,’ she said.
‘They won’t even say if it’s imported or even the country it came from. And if you look up her LLC and import records, nothing is gonna pop up.’
She said she decided to go into ‘private investigator mode’ and looked for clues in Chelsea’s TikTok videos; Chelsea often documents her day-to-day endeavors while running the brand on the platform.
Sustainable Fashion Friend said she noticed an address written on a document in one of Chelsea’s clips that lead her to Qingdao Gu Ang Industry And Trading Co., a manufacturer that sells clothing pieces in bulk on a website called Alibaba.
In another video of Chelsea’s, she said she found a garment with a tag that appeared to have Alibaba’s website on it.
She also claimed that Chelsea showed her computer screen at one point, and she had multiple Alibaba tabs open.
‘If you don’t know what Alibaba is, it’s a website you can use to get into contact with garment manufacturers and basically start your own fashion line without actually doing the manufacturing yourself,’ Sustainable Fashion Friend continued.
She said she noticed an address written on a document in one of Chelsea’s videos that lead her to a manufacturer that sells clothing pieces in bulk on a website called Alibaba
She also alleged that she found clothing items on Alibaba (left) that look extremely similar to ones for sale on PARKE (right) – but for a much lower price
She also alleged that she found clothing items on Qingdao Gu Ang Industry And Trading Co.’s Alibaba page that look extremely similar to ones for sale on PARKE – but for a much lower price.
‘You can find something very similar to this on that supplier’s Alibaba page, and look at the prices,’ Sustainable Fashion Friend said while showing off PARKE’s $110 Boyfriend Button Down Top.
She then showed a screenshot of an extremely similar top for sale on Alibaba for $9 if you buy it in bulk.
In addition, she claimed to have found pants similar to PARKE’s Striped Boxer Pants (which cost $100 on PARKE’s site) for $9.
She also pointed out that a long sleeve denim shirt from PARKE is priced at $175, but one that looks almost exactly the same is for sale on Alibaba for roughly $6 if you buy 5,000 pieces or more.
In the end, Sustainable Fashion Friend said she’s trying to make people ‘aware’ of what she claimed is a huge pattern going on behind the scenes.
‘A lot of brands and influencers are telling you [a story], they’re selling you the feeling that you will fit in, but don’t let their drops trick you into think it’s so exclusive,’ she concluded.
She added in the caption, ‘If [Chelsea] really cared about the brand and what it stands for, she’d show the full process. The factory. The workers. Their names. The wages. The conditions.
Chelsea told The Cut that ‘she works with a technical designer to design samples that go through several rounds of changes in fit, wash, and color’
‘But instead, we get color palettes and face icing routines because that fits the aesthetic better.
‘A lot of influencer brands/brands in general sell storytelling instead of real quality and transparency.
‘They’ll call something sustainable, intentional, or unique when it’s really a $15 hoodie from a factory they’ll never name, nor visit, and deny when they get connected to it.
‘Don’t let branding trick you into thinking something is more ethical, more exclusive, more heartfelt or more valuable than it actually is.
‘All observations shared are based on publicly available information and my personal opinion as a sustainability researcher.
‘These are not definitive claims about any individual or business practices, but rather commentary based on visual similarities and open-source data.’
During a chat with The Cut recently, Chelsea vaguely addressed Sustainable Fashion Friend’s video.
The publication said that Chelsea claimed ‘PARKE doesn’t white label its products and that she works with a technical designer to design samples that go through several rounds of changes in fit, wash, and color.’
Sustainable Fashion Friend’s videos has resulted in immense backlash for the brand, as many viewers rushed to the comment section to slam it
But they added that she said she is ‘not going to publicly respond to the videos about her process.’
Chelsea stated, ‘When something’s still not true, I feel like giving it attention is just gonna make something worse.’
Sustainable Fashion Friend’s videos has resulted in immense backlash for the brand, as many viewers rushed to the comment section to slam it.
‘Disgusting,’ one outraged user wrote. Another added, ‘I’m so sick of the sustainable LIES.
‘Quit selling repackaged cheap clothing. This is exactly why I never buy anything new and 90 percent of my clothes are thrifted.’
‘Influencers scamming followers… what’s new,’ scathed someone else.
‘Not Alibaba. Love learning about new brands I’ll never support here,’ a fourth comment read.
A fifth said, ‘I’m a fashion designer, have been for eight years, went to school for my degree and everything.
‘Now I spend my time at work spoon feeding design ideas to influencers who call themselves “designers” on brand collaborations.
‘Influencers claim they worked hard on making this collab but really it’s a team of designers doing ALL THE WORK then just getting approval from the influencer for the styles and colorways we are offering them.’
‘American seamstress here… I’ve been creating garments by hand for 20 years professionally from start to finish,’ shared a different user.
‘That includes creating the design, pattern drafting, sourcing materials, cutting, and sewing… and have been sewing in general for longer than I can remember.
‘It frustrates me to high heaven when new brands claim things that are simply untrue, be transparent about sourcing.
‘I can’t stand it when pre-manufactured garments are passed off as something original then mark it up 300 percent like the quality is worth that much.’
