Kim Kardashian Sues Fast-Fashion Retailer Over Alleged Knock-Offs
Written by SOURCE on February 21, 2019
Kim Kardashian is taking a fast-fashion brand to court.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the reality TV star has filed a lawsuit against online retailer Missguided USA for allegedly using her image to sell designer “knock-offs.” The suit reportedly includes side-by-side images of Kardashian’s outfits and the alleged replicas featured on Missguided’s website and social media pages.
“Missguided does not merely replicate the looks of these celebrities as seen on red carpets, in paparazzi photos, and in social media posts,” Kardashian’s attorney Michael Kump of Kinsella Weitzman wrote. “Missguided systematically uses the names and images of Kardashian and other celebrities to advertise and spark interest in its website and clothing.”
Weitzman pointed to a Feb. 8 Instagram post in which Kardashian is seen wearing a gold dress that was reportedly designed by Kanye West. Kardashian specifically addressed fast-fashion brands in the caption: “Fast fashion brands, can you please wait until I wear this in real life before you knock it off?”
Just hours after Kardashian shared the photo, Diet Prada reported that Missguided posted a similar look on Instagram.
“The devil works hard by Missguided works harder,” the retailer wrote in the caption. “@kimkardashian you’ve only got a few days before this drops […]”
Kardashian argues that Missguided’s continued use of her trademarked name and her likeness is leading consumers to believe she works for the brand. She is reportedly seeking at least $10 million in damages as well as an injunction to stop Missguided from continuing to use her name, image, and likeness.
News of the lawsuit arrives just a day after Kardashian called out brands for selling replicas of her designer outfits.
“It’s devastating to see these fashion companies rip off designs that have taken the blood, sweat and tears of true designers who have put their all into their own original ideas,” she tweeted. “I’ve watched these companies profit off my husband’s work for years and now that it’s also affecting designers who have been so generous to give me access to their beautiful works, I can no longer sit silent.”
Kardashian specifically mentioned a black Mugler dress she had worn to the Hollywood Beauty Awards on Sunday. Shortly after the event, Fashion Nova began promoting a very similar design on its website. Many people wondered how the brand could’ve recreated the look so quickly after Kardashian was seen wearing it. Though Fashion Nova insists it has the ability to execute a design within hours, some speculated Kardashian has a working relationship with these brands and leaks her looks before she wears them in public. The 38-year-denied this was the case:
