Rihanna Wins Lawsuit Against Topshop
Rihanna has won her lawsuit against Topshop over the brand’s use of her image on a T-shirt without her permission. In 2013, the singer sued Topshop parent company Arcadia for $5 million in damages stemming from the white sleeveless tee baring a photo of her in overalls and an updo taken during a video shoot in 2011 for her Talk That Talk album. The high court ruled in her favor in 2013 and then Topshop lawyers went in for an appeal.
The Court of Appeal in London upheld the ban on selling the tees making this case the first successful one of its kind. In the United Kingdom, which is where Arcadia is headquartered, celebrities have no legal right to how their images are used, but RiRi’s case stated that it seemed as if she was endorsing the product when she wasn’t, which qualified as “passing off.” Plus, it could have affected her reputation as a fashion designer, damaged her brand, and led to losses in her actual collection with Topshop competitor River Island.
Not only will Topshop have to pay for damages, but also all of Rihanna’s legal fees.
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(Photos from left: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, TopShop)