Kim Kardashian is being dragged into court once again after a small business owner accused the celebrity of trademark infringement.
Here is everything you need to know.
Kim Kardashian accused of trademark infringement
Kim Kardashian is reportedly being sued for trademark infringement over her new skincare line SKKN and SKKN BY KIM.
The small business owner Cydnie Lunsford has filed a lawsuit claiming that they own the rights to SKKN+.
She has further accused that the star’s use of SKKN is confusing her customers.
According to legal documents, SKKN+ is a Brooklyn-based Beauty Concepts. It further adds that it’s a Black and woman-owned business that survived the pandemic only to learn that Kardashian is launching a new brand with a similar moniker.
Lunsford’s lawyer first served the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star a cease-and-desist letter last July.
In the letter, they stated that SKKN+ had provided salon and skin care services since July 2017.
They further alleged that they contacted Kardashian to inform her that they held the trademark rights over SKKN+ and asked her not to use a similar name.
However, according to the company, the 41-year-old star’s team ultimately ignored their request when they launched her new brand anyway.
Kim Kardashian team’s response to the lawsuit
Kim Kardashian’s attorney Michael Rhodes is claiming her client’s innocence and mentioned that she is in the clear.
He said, ‘This lawsuit is not what it seems. SKKN BY KIM is a new brand that follows in the footsteps of Ms. Kardashian’s successful KKW line of products.’
Rhodes added, ‘Building on independent research and development, her company filed a trademark application for SKKN BY KIM to protect the new branded products. This prompted the current shakedown effort.’
He continued that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) ‘rejected Beauty Concepts’ own SKKN+ mark saying that “skkn” just means “skin”.’
According to Rhodes, ‘running a small esthetician business in Brooklyn does not give it the right to shut down a global skincare line.’
The model and Beauty Concepts continue to be locked in a legal battle over the trademark rights.
However, Rhodes has pointed out that Beauty Concepts is suing them only to leverage a huge settlement amount.
Kardashian’s new brand has been questioned about its legitimacy ever since its launch. She was previously accused of copying the Australian influencer’s skin clinic name SSKIN, run by Emilee and Amy Hembrow.