Beyoncé together with husband Jay Z, Rihanna, Kanye West and Pharell Williams have teamed up to sue a Paris retailer which has been audaciously selling shirts, cellphone cases, backpacks, hats and other items featuring their images without authorization.
Reuters informed that the complaint was filed on Tuesday in federal court in New York. The complaint said ElevenParis has neglected the singers' warnings to stop the sales, including on its website and a store in Manhattan's Soho district.
The pop stars accused ElevenParis and its affiliates of being "habitual, willful intellectual property infringers that, without authorization, usurp the trademarks, copyrights and other rights of A-list celebrities."
Despite several cease-and-desist warnings, the French clothing retailer did not stop selling the above mentioned items. The products throw down the gauntlet include clothing bearing the singers' faces, Beyoncé and Rihanna song lyrics, phrases such as "Kanye is my Homie" and "Pharrell is my Brotha."
The complaint further claimed that ElevenParis' actions "have caused and are causing immediate irreparable harm" to the plaintiffs, who seek to recoup profits and triple damages over the allegations of trademark infringement and violations of their rights of publicity.
Moreover, the complaint emphasized that each of the artists also has their own clothing lines or collaborations with apparel manufacturers, which are generating "hundreds of millions of dollars" in sales.
According to its website, ElevenParis is "ELEVENPARIS is a Parisian prêt-à-porter brand, present on the international fashion scene since 2003. Through its heightened creativity and ultra-contemporary style, the brand rapidly seduced demanding international fashion customers."
"Men, Women & Accessories collections, are founded on carefully designed contrasts: minimalist spirit, indie music references, sporty allure and seasonal inspirations work well within a wardrobe combining strong garments with silk screened T-shirts," its website said. "Combining humour, pop culture, rock references and contemporary cool, ELEVENPARIS T-shirts symbolise the brand's silhouette. Wear them with a nonchalant air, in conjunction with refined items from the collection."
