Skip to Content Facebook Feature Image

Designer Antthony Mark Hankins Files Federal Lawsuit Following Termination of Long-Standing Retail Partnership

Business

Designer Antthony Mark Hankins Files Federal Lawsuit Following Termination of Long-Standing Retail Partnership
Business

Business

Designer Antthony Mark Hankins Files Federal Lawsuit Following Termination of Long-Standing Retail Partnership

2026-02-13 21:00 Last Updated At:02-15 14:30

SAVANNAH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 13, 2026--

Antthony Mark Hankins, founder of Antthony Design Originals, has filed a federal lawsuit against QVC and HSN following what he asserts was the abrupt and unjustified termination of a retail partnership spanning more than 31 years.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260213029202/en/

The case (Case No. 2:26-cv-00912), filed on February 11, 2026, is currently pending in federal court.

For more than three decades, Hankins has built his brand on a foundation of creativity, integrity, and a deep commitment to his audience. The legal action seeks to address matters he believes are essential to protecting his business interests, preserving his legacy, and reinforcing the principles upon which his company was established.

“This decision was not made lightly,” said Hankins. “It is about standing up for the values my brand was built on, protecting my legacy, and ensuring that fairness and accountability matter — especially for creators who have given decades of their lives to their work.”

Hankins emphasized that his commitment to transparency, dignity, and forward momentum remains unchanged as the legal process begins.

“I am deeply grateful for the support, love, and trust of my community,” he added. “My commitment has always been to creativity, integrity, and fairness, and I remain focused on moving forward with purpose.”

Additional details regarding the litigation will be provided through legal counsel as appropriate.

About Antthony Design Originals

Founded by designer Antthony Mark Hankins, Antthony Design Originals is a fashion brand recognized for its distinctive designs, vibrant prints, and accessible approach to style. For more than three decades, the brand has cultivated a loyal customer following through television retail partnerships and direct-to-consumer engagement, delivering collections that emphasize versatility, quality, and confidence. Hankins, an industry veteran, has built his reputation on creativity, integrity, and a deep understanding of his audience. Antthony Design Originals remains committed to innovation while continuing to serve customers with the design perspective and authenticity that have defined the brand since its inception.

Antthony Mark Hankins, founder of Antthony Design Originals.

Antthony Mark Hankins, founder of Antthony Design Originals.

NEW YORK (AP) — Kamala Harris “wrote off rural America" during the 2024 presidential campaign and failed to attack Donald Trump with sufficient “negative firepower," according to a long-awaited post-election autopsy released on Thursday by the Democratic National Committee.

The committee's chair, Ken Martin, shared the 192-page report only after facing intense internal pressure from frustrated Democratic operatives concerned with his leadership. Martin had originally promised to release the autopsy, only to keep it under wraps for months because he was concerned it would be a distraction ahead of the midterms as Democrats mobilize to take back control of Congress.

On Tuesday, Martin apologized for his handling of the situation and conceded that the report was withheld because it “was not ready for primetime."

Although the autopsy criticizes Democrats' focus on “identity politics,” it sidesteps some of the most controversial elements of the 2024 campaign. The report does not address former President Joe Biden’s decision to seek reelection, the rushed selection of Harris to replace him on the ticket or the party's acrimonious divide over the war in Gaza.

“I am not proud of this product; it does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards,” Martin wrote in an essay on Substack on Thursday. “I don’t endorse what’s in this report, or what’s left out of it. I could not in good faith put the DNC’s stamp of approval on it. But transparency is paramount.”

A spokesperson for Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The initial reaction from Democratic operatives was a mix of bafflement and anger over Martin's handling of the situation.

“Why not say this in 2024, or bring in more people to finish it, instead of turning this into the dumbest media cycle for 7-8 months?” Democratic strategist Steve Schale wrote on social media.

The postelection report, which was authored by Democratic consultant Paul Rivera, calls for “a renewed focus on the voters of Middle America and the South, who have come to believe they are not included in the Democratic vision of a stronger and more dynamic America for everyone.”

“Millions of Americans are suffering from poor access to healthcare, manufacturing and job losses, and a failing infrastructure, yet continue to be persuaded to vote against their best interests because they do not see themselves reflected in the America of the Democratic Party,” the report says.

The autopsy points to a reduction in support and training for Democratic state parties, voter registration shifts and “a persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters.”

Thursday's release comes as Martin confronts a crisis of confidence among party officials who are increasingly concerned about the health of their political machine barely a year into his term. Some Democratic operatives have had informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, even though most believe that Martin’s job wasn't in serious jeopardy ahead of the midterm elections.

The report found that Harris and her allies failed to focus enough on Trump's negatives, especially his felony convictions. This was part of a broader criticism that Democrats' messaging is too focused on reason and winning arguments, “even in cycles when the electorate is defined by rage.”

“There was a decision in the 2024 Democratic leadership not to engage in negative advertising at the scale required,” the report states. “The Trump campaign and supportive Super PACs went full throttle against Vice President Harris, but there was not sufficient or similar negative firepower directed at Trump by Democrats.”

The report continues: “It was essential to prosecute a more effective case as to why Trump should have been disqualified from ever again taking office. The grounds were there, but the messaging did not make the case.”

Trump's attack on Harris' transgender policies were cited as a key contrast.

Specifically, the report suggested the Democratic nominee was “boxed” in by the Trump campaign's “very effective” ad that highlighted Harris' previous statement of support for taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgeries for prison inmates.

Democratic pollsters believed that “if the Vice President would not change her position – and she did not – then there was nothing which would have worked as a response," the report said.

The report criticized Harris' outreach to key segments of America while condemning the party's focus on “identity politics.”

“Harris wrote off rural America, assuming urban/suburban margins would compensate. The math doesn’t work,” the report says. “You can’t lose rural areas by overwhelming margins and make it up elsewhere when rural voters are a significant share of the electorate. If Democrats are to reclaim leadership in the Heartland or the South, candidates must perform well in rural turf. Show up, listen, and then do it again.”

The report also references Democrats' underperformance with male voters of color.

“Male voters require direct engagement. The gender gap can be narrowed. Deploy male messengers, address economic concerns, and don’t assume identity politics will hold male voters of color,” it says.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event about loosening a federal refrigerant rule, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

President Donald Trump speaks during an event about loosening a federal refrigerant rule, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a fireside chat on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a fireside chat on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

FILE - Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at DNC headquarters, Jan. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert, File)

FILE - Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at DNC headquarters, Jan. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert, File)

Recommended Articles