I'm a designer, and Saks was my biggest customer. Now it owes me six figures, and I'm fighting to keep my business viable.

• Fisayo Che founded Elisamama, a clothing brand that is sold at Saks Fifth Avenue.
• The retailer's parent company, Saks Global, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and owes her six figures.
• Now, Che is struggling to trust her longtime partner and make up for the lost revenue.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Fisayo Che, the founder of women's wear brand Elisamama. It's been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified Che's statements, including the amount Saks owes, with documentation she provided.

Saks Global filed in January for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which allows it to continue operating while undergoing a court-supervised reorganization of its debt. In a statement, Saks said it is committed to "trusted relationships with brand partners," and that funding it secured through the bankruptcy will "facilitate go-forward payments to brand partners."

Becoming a fashion designer was never a part of my vision board. When I founded Elisamama, I was still working a corporate job.

I felt like I wanted to live a life of more meaning and purpose. My family is from Nigeria, and I spent time there growing up. I got the idea to start a brand that supports women artisans in the country.

Elisamama is a women's wear and children's brand inspired by African artistry and prints. At first, I sold the clothing at flea markets; later, I listed on Etsy and promoted it on social media.

Saks really gave my business a platform to grow. Now, it's going through bankruptcy and hasn't paid me for some of my inventory. I'm not sure how to trust the company going forward.

From flea markets to Fifth Avenue

In the fall of 2020, someone found us on Instagram and, unbeknownst to me, dropped our name with a Saks buyer. When the department store initially reached out, I thought it was a scam, and I didn't respond. Then, a vice president from the company DM'd me on Instagram.

I freaked out and was very scared. I thought: How are we going to do this? I even told them I needed time to figure it out because I didn't want to mess up this opportunity.

Saks really walked alongside us, gave us guidance, and helped us dip our toes slowly into its world. It was rapid-fire learning, trying to understand all the vendor requirements, including shipping and routing guidelines.

We hired more artisans in Nigeria. We beefed up our production. We worked on our supply situation. Everybody was winning; it helped us help other people grow their own businesses.

In 2023, Saks selected us to join its New Wave program for emerging designers. We came to New York, connected with industry experts and the press, and the company gave us a grant.

At the end, we had our products placed in the window at Saks' flagship store in New York. That was a remarkable moment for me and my team in Nigeria, who are so proud of this work. It was nothing that I could even have imagined for Elisamama.

The exposure it gave us was significant and gave us confidence.

We signed with a showroom and started selling in retailers like Shopbop, Tuckernuck, and several specialty boutiques. Things were ramping up, and the more I did this work, the more joy I found in it. In 2024, I left my corporate job.

How a great partner broke my trust

Saks has been a great partner to us. It has placed orders with us every season since 2020. It's 50% or 60% of our business.

The problems started in February of last year, when Saks sent vendors a memo about paying in installments. Prior to that, we were consistently paid on the agreed-upon payment terms.

I thought: We can wait a few months to get paid. They're important partners.

We got a check for a couple of hundred dollars in July, and in August, we were paid a more substantial amount. I thought we were back on track and kept sending inventory. Then, no other payments came in.

We fulfilled two additional orders after that, operating on faith that things would shake out properly. The company kept saying it would get back to us with updates.

Now, Saks owes us six figures. I'm considering cutting half of our team to stay viable.

I employ 20 people full time in Nigeria; we have some consultants and contractors, as well. The amount Saks owes us means a lot.

When Saks' bankruptcy was announced in January, the ax dropped. Because of the proceedings, Saks said it'd prioritize debts incurred after January 13 and get back to us on other payments owed.

I have been trying to expand my partnerships and sales channels to protect my business, as we've been hearing about Saks' struggles for a long time.

I want to see Saks win, but I don't believe the company anymore. We're sitting on Saks' most recent order, given the situation.

I've told the buyers that any future shipments would have to be paid for before we ship. I'm also considering asking them to send back the inventory they have on hand, so at least we can cut our losses.

Saks is so powerful and significant in the fashion space that partnering with it is valuable. What's happened is a disappointment, but it's also grief and sadness.

Saks needs to restore trust with its suppliers by putting money behind its orders. If it did that, brands would continue to send goods because it's that important.

Do you have a story to share about Saks? Email Madeline Berg at mberg@businessinsider.com.