"I will not be silenced:" Türkan Atay threatens legal action against Maria B

Popular Turkish social media influencer Türkan Atay publicly criticised renowned Pakistani designer Maria B for allegedly failing to pay her for a photoshoot and refusing to issue an apology.

Taking to Instagram, Türkan shared screenshots of Maria B's explanation, where the designer claimed the matter was close to being resolved respectfully and that a meeting had been arranged. However, she accused Türkan of escalating the issue by making a reel instead of discussing it privately.

In response, Türkan said, “I will expose and shame you,” demanding a public apology and threatening to expose the brand’s alleged misconduct if an apology is not issued.

She further accused Maria B of using the Palestine cause for profit, saying, “You exploit Palestinian suffering for financial gain.”

Türkan also revealed that she had been blocked by the designer and stated firmly, “Money is not everything. I will not be silenced. You should either apologise publicly or stay quiet.”

She warned of legal action if the brand does not compensate her or retracts its accusation that she demanded extra money.

Recently, she shared a video on her Instagram account, where she opened up about Maria B's brand for failing to fulfill a commitment. 

“In 2025, she approached me again for a photoshoot in Turkey. Here, we pay for venues, models, and other logistics per outfit. That’s why I charged her per dress,” Türkan explained.

“She paid me a lump sum, but I had clearly communicated my pricing. Later, they claimed it was a misunderstanding because they usually pay per reel. It’s been three months, they’ve wasted my time and treated me like a fool, ” she added.

Türkan Atay is a well-known Turkish content creator with over 853K Instagram followers. She creates digital content in Urdu and has a strong fan base in Pakistan.

She completed her studies in Pakistan, where she met and later married her university friend, Zaka, a Pakistani national.