In a major controversy shaking the fashion world, renowned Pakistani designer Maria B (real name: Maria Butt) has issued a Rs100 million defamation notice to Turkish influencer Türkan Atay. This move follows Atay’s public accusations, alleging that Maria B failed to fully compensate her for managing a brand shoot in Turkey earlier this year. Before this, Atay had served her own legal notice, demanding $8,000 along with a formal public apology.
Türkan Atay took to Instagram, posting several videos where she claimed that Maria B’s team had hired her for the production of the brand’s upcoming 2025 campaign but allegedly did not honor the agreed payment. According to Atay, her charges per outfit included complete production services — covering location, models, and videography.
Backing her allegations, Atay shared screenshots of conversations she claims were with Maria B’s PR manager, confirming a per-outfit pricing agreement. However, the influencer stated that the team later issued a lump-sum payment instead, citing a misunderstanding. Upon reaching out directly, Maria B allegedly distanced herself from the payment arrangements.
Following the dispute, Atay’s legal notice demands $8,000, covering pending payments, legal fees, and compensation for mental distress.
On the other side, Maria B’s defamation notice, filed through prominent barrister Khadija Siddiqi under Section 8 of The Defamation Ordinance, 2002, strongly defends her reputation. The notice highlights Maria B’s contributions to social activism, philanthropy, and her prominent role in supporting Palestinian humanitarian efforts. It accuses Atay of spreading false, malicious, and defamatory content via social media, seriously damaging Maria B’s personal and professional reputation.
Among the accusations listed, Atay allegedly referred to Maria B with terms like “two-faced” and “deceptive,” with the defamatory content gaining wide circulation across digital platforms, both nationally and internationally.
Maria B has demanded an unconditional public apology within 14 days, immediate removal of all defamatory content, and Rs100 million in damages.
Meanwhile, Türkan Atay’s legal notice, filed through counsel Rana Intezar, accuses Maria B of launching a malicious social media campaign instead of addressing the payment professionally. Atay claims to have suffered mental trauma, emotional distress, and loss of social media engagement, leading to significant damage to her career and reputation.
Atay’s legal team warns that failure to resolve the matter within the given timeframe will result in formal legal action against Maria B.
Stay tuned to Fashion Style Trends for more updates on this developing story in the fashion industry.
