UNITED KINGDOM: The UK's High Court rules in favour of Rihanna after high street chain Topshop use her image on a T-shirt

Record ID: 861794

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: The UK's High Court rules in favour of Rihanna after high street chain Topshop use her image on a T-shirt
  • Date: 31st July 2013
  • Summary: PLEASE NOTE: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (MAY 10, 2012) (REUTERS) RIHANNA AT BATTLESHIP PREMIERE IN USA
  • Embargoed: 15th August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA80J5QYOZQLOAPLB4AFU6E7QPI
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  • Story Text: Barbadian singer Rihanna on Wednesday won a legal case against British fashion chain Topshop over the use of her image on a T-shirt it sold without her approval.
    High Court Judge Birss ruled in Rihanna's favour following a four-day hearing earlier this month.
    In March last year Topshop, which is owned by billionaire Philip Green's Arcadia Group, started selling a T-shirt with an image of Rihanna on it.
    The image was a photograph taken by a freelance photographer in Northern Ireland while Rihanna was filming a music video. Topshop had a licence from the photographer but no licence from Rihanna.
    Rihanna, who has a direct endorsement relationship with fashion chain River Island, took the case against Topshop under her full name of Robyn Rihanna Fenty.
    In his judgment Birss said "a substantial number" of shoppers were likely to be deceived into buying the T-shirt because of a false belief that it had been authorised by Rihanna.
    "I find that Topshop's sale of this Rihanna T-shirt without her approval was an act of passing off. I find for the claimants," he said.
    Damages were not determined.
    Topshop said it was "surprised and disappointed" by the judgment and would seek permission to appeal.
    "We robustly dispute the Judge's conclusion," it said, adding: "There was no evidence of consumer confusion to support the Judge's conclusion."
    Lawyers said the ruling may have set a significant precedent.
    "The Judge was at pains to make it clear that not every T-shirt with a famous face on it will fall foul of the law, but when an artist has a lot to lose, they have every incentive to sue," said Sarah Byrt, intellectual property partner at law firm Mayer Brown.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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