March 12 (Reuters) – U.S. cosmetics giant Estee Lauder has filed a lawsuit against British entrepreneur Jo Malone, her fragrance brand Jo Loves and Zara’s UK business for using her name, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
Estee Lauder bought Malone’s self-named perfume brand – and the rights to use her name – in 1999. Malone left the company in 2006 and launched a new fragrance label, “Jo Loves”, in 2011.
The use of “Jo Malone” on the packaging of Jo Loves fragrances sold by Zara formed the basis of the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, the FT report said.
Malone is now being sued by the U.S. group for breach of contract, trademark infringement and “passing off” – a term referring to misleading consumers into thinking goods or services are those of another company, the report said.
Estee Lauder, Zara UK’s parent Inditex and Jo Loves did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Malone could not be immediately reached.
(Reporting by Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Editing by Sumana Nandy)
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