Two former college roommates who created a successful clothing line under the “Rhode” trademark are suing model Hailey Bieber, saying she is creating market confusion by marketing products under the Rhoade name.
Two former college roommates who created a successful clothing line under the “Rhode” trademark are suing model Hailey Bieber, saying she is creating market confusion by marketing products under the Rhoade name.
Two former college roommates who created a successful clothing line under the “Rhode” trademark sued model Hailey Bieber on Tuesday, saying she was creating market confusion by marketing a skincare line under the name Rode. has been
The lawsuit in Manhattan federal court asked a judge to cite trademark infringement and to restrain Bieber from selling or marketing any of the Road Name products. It also sought unspecified damages.
The lawsuit says the court’s intervention was necessary because Hailey Bieber, a celebrity with more than 45 million Instagram followers, launched her own skin care line last week and filed trademark applications to sell the clothes.
Hailey Bieber is married to singer Justin Bieber, and the lawsuit states that her husband promoted his business to his 243 million Instagram followers, with one posting garnering 1.5 million likes. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to the lawsuit, Poorna Khatau and Phoebe Vickers want to protect the business they started in 2014, when they created a high-end clothing and accessories brand targeting “feminine, confident and well-travelled women”. Quit his day job to make a line.
Since then, it said, her products have been featured in Vogue, carried around the world in stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus and worn by celebrities including Beyonce, Mindy Kaling and Rihanna. Sales this year are projected to reach $14.5 million, the lawsuit says.
On the day her product was launched, Hailey Bieber said in a Forbes story that she had a “really hard time” with a “media world that likes to pit women against women”, the lawsuit said. Told.
“But the reality is that the “media world” is at her disposal, as Ms. Bieber describes. And she has chosen to use it to crush a Women and Minorities co-founded brand, which is a source of her immense fame and popularity. cannot compete with the following,” the lawsuit states.
Hailey Bieber appeared on “Good Morning America” when her product line launched on June 15 abc and “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon NBCThe lawsuit noted.
The lawsuit states that confusion and damage to the brand started by Ms Khatau and Ms Vickers is already widespread and that it has only taken a few days for some consumers to believe that the 8-year-old company is named after the new competitor instead. doing business. Why reverse?