Estee Lauder Sues Jo Malone and Zara Over Name Usage
Estee Lauder sued Jo Malone and Zara on Wednesday for trademark infringement. The lawsuit claims the perfumer's name was used improperly on Zara fragrances.
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., a cosmetics conglomerate headquartered in the United States, has initiated a lawsuit against British entrepreneur Jo Malone and her fragrance label, Jo Loves. The legal action also targets the United Kingdom operations of Zara, a retailer owned by INDITEX-UNSPON ADR. According to reports, the litigation centers on the use of Malone's name on product packaging for fragrances sold through Zara's retail network. The relationship between the parties dates back to 1999, when Estée Lauder acquired Malone's original perfume brand and the rights to her name. Malone subsequently exited the company in 2006 before launching Jo Loves five years later. The lawsuit filed on Wednesday alleges breach of contract, trademark infringement, and passing off—a term used to describe actions that mislead consumers into believing products are associated with a different company. At this stage, neither Estée Lauder nor Inditex has responded to requests for comment regarding the filing. Jo Malone and representatives for Jo Loves were also unavailable for immediate statement.
