Content creator and entrepreneur J Lavish has responded after facing backlash over the advertising of a recent hair event in Brixton, South London. Alongside his online presence, J Lavish is also the founder of Tribe of Vi, a brand selling satin-lined skull caps, beanies and a range of haircare products.

 Ahead of an event on August 22, he spent several days promoting discounted Tribe of Vi products alongside an opportunity for attendees to receive free trims, line-ups and retwists from service providers on the day. 

J Lavish pushed the event heavily across his TikTok account, even recruiting his mum for one promotional video as he encouraged followers to come down and take advantage of the services on offer.

However, following the event, some attendees took to TikTok to express their frustration after discovering there was a catch to accessing the free services.

According to those who attended, customers were required to spend a minimum of £65 on J Lavish's products before becoming eligible for a complimentary trim or retwist,  a condition some said had not been made clear enough in the promotional content leading up to the event.

The confusion quickly sparked conversation online, with social media questioning why the minimum spend had not been more prominently communicated when the services themselves were being advertised as “free.”

J Lavish has since addressed the criticism directly, issuing an apology and taking accountability for the way the event was promoted.

In his response, the creator acknowledged that the advertising could have been much clearer and described the situation as a miscommunication on his part. He also explained that this was his first time organising an event of this kind and recognised that there were lessons to take away from the experience.

Despite the controversy, J Lavish revealed that more than 70 people were still able to receive free trims and retwists during the event.

He went on to thank those who came out to support him while apologising to anyone who felt misled by the promotion, making it clear that he understood where the criticism was coming from.

With the creator owning the mistake rather than dismissing the backlash, the situation has also opened up a wider conversation about transparency when promoting giveaways, discounts and “free” services online,  particularly when conditions or minimum spends apply.

‍