A major dispute has erupted between a women-owned sportswear brand and one of the nation’s largest department store chains. PSK Collective, a New York-based activewear company founded by World Rugby Hall of Famer Phaidra S. Knight, filed a high-profile lawsuit against Kohl’s Corporation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The heart of the complaint is that Kohl’s allegedly failed to pay for nearly $8 million in delivered merchandise, constituting a breach of contract, theft by fraud, and intentional misrepresentation.
In a case filed on August 13, 2025, PSK Collective, a New York-based women’s activewear brand, has launched a sweeping lawsuit against Kohl’s Corporation. The suit alleges that Kohl’s failed to pay for nearly $8 million worth of delivered merchandise, committed fraud, and engaged in bad-faith business practices over the course of a multi-year vendor relationship.
According to the filed complaint, PSK Collective entered a vendor…
agreement with Kohl’s in late 2020. The relationship rapidly expanded, with over 600 purchase orders placed from April 2021 through September 2022. PSK delivered more than 600,000 clothing units and submitted approximately 1,500 invoices.
The lawsuit outlines that Kohl’s received all documentation confirming delivery — including purchase orders, bills of lading (many signed by Kohl’s agents), delivery photos, and invoices — yet refused to pay, often citing shifting internal logistical and record-keeping issues.
The suit alleges that Kohl’s never intended to pay for the merchandise, using the PSK brand to boost its own image as a supporter of minority and women-owned businesses, and to generate profits. PSK claims Kohl’s marketed the brand for public relations leverage but failed to provide in-store support as promised.
When PSK pressed for repayment, Kohl’s is accused of stringing the company along for over two years with excuses and broken promises before ultimately refusing payment, citing a “statute of limitations” defence as a reason not to pay…
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