Pop star Ariana Grande sues Forever 21 for US$10 million over 'lookalike model'
- US singer is suing for US$10 million over claims the brand created an online campaign with striking similarities to her music videos
- A Forever 21 statement denied the allegations
US pop star Ariana Grande has sued fashion retailer Forever 21 for using her trademark style to promote its products without her permission, including adverts featuring a “lookalike model”.
Grande is seeking US$10 million over claims the brand, and its spin-off cosmetics line Riley Rose, created an online campaign with striking similarities to her music videos, such as 7 Rings, from late last year.
The lawsuit, filed in the Los Angeles district court on Monday, claims the campaign was intended to trick consumers into believing Grande had endorsed Forever 21’s youth-oriented products.
“Even a single social media post by Ms Grande can garner fees of several hundred thousand dollars, and her longer-term endorsement arrangements command fees in the millions of dollars,” it said.
Grande has 163 million Instagram followers, making her the most-followed woman on the photo- and video-sharing social media platform.