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Beyonce, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, And Pharrell Sue Eleven Paris For ‘Damages’ [Video]

By Maat van Uitert
Published on: 04:02 PST, Oct 9, 2015

Beyonce, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, and Pharrell are suing French fashion brand Eleven Paris for damages after the company unlawfully used the stars’ images, names, lyrics, and other intellectual property on their products, Beyonce and her attorneys claim. Beyonce and the other singers are suing for damages, citing that Eleven Paris has damaged their personal brands, reports the Daily Mail.

The brand sells not just T-shirts featuring Beyonce, but also phone cases and backpacks that say “Hova,” “RiRi,” and “Kanye is My Homie,” according to the Daily Mail. Now, Beyonce and the other celebrities want Eleven Paris to stop — and pay damages.

The lawsuit, filed in New York on October 6, cites 58 alleged violations, reports the Daily Mail, and requests that the brand stop using Beyonce and the other celebrities’ images on Eleven Paris’s shirts and other items.

People magazine reports that Beyonce at one time agreed to work with the company, but after Eleven Paris allegedly “breached the terms and conditions of the agreement,” Beyonce broke ties. Beyonce now claims she is “suffering damage” to her reputation and the “goodwill of their respective trademarks,” reports People.

This is not the first time Beyonce requested the brand stop using her likeness on their products, and attorneys for Beyonce have sent several cease and desist letters to Eleven Paris. Even though Beyonce has tried to stop Eleven Paris from using her image, the lawsuit states there were still “dozens of infringing merchandise” being sold at the brand’s New York location, reports the Daily Mail.

One tank top features a photo of Beyonce with a mustache, emblazoned with the slogan “life is a joke,” while another trendy T-shirt uses the Beyonce lyrics “[a] diva is a female version of a hustler.”

A shirt also featured a stained-glass image of Jay-Z smoking a cigar with the word “Brooklyn” prominently placed below, although some of the merchandise is not available for sale anymore.

In a twist on the case, Beyonce’s own sister, Solange, has modeled for Eleven Paris. Just last week, Solange said that Eleven Paris was one of her favorite brands, reports the Daily Mail.

Kylie Jenner, who is Kanye West’s sister-in-law, has shared selfies over Instagram that feature the clothing line, and she has also said it’s one of her “favorite brands.” In a recent Instagram photo, Jenner wore a T-shirt that read “Karl is My Father,” referring to Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, who did not join the lawsuit alongside Beyonce.

The lawsuit required Beyonce and the other artists to establish exactly what their reputations are in order to prove damage was done to their personal brands. Beyonce had to write out her myriad accomplishments and awards, as well as her cultural influence, before the lawsuit could be filed, reports the Daily Mail.

Documents Beyonce included in the suit state that “Beyonce is commonly regarded as an international fashion icon and influencer.” The document also revealed that Beyonce “has been nominated as the Teen Choice Female Fashion Icon, and has partnered with several of [the] world’s top brands,” while “Kanye sets trends for everything he touches.”

To make matters worse, Beyonce had to move recently, after the owner of the seven-room Holmby Hills home they were renting decided to sell. Beyonce and Jay-Z inked a one-year lease on a second home in the neighborhood for a cool $150,000 a month, although they had to downsize a bit since the new luxury pad only has five rooms.

The home Beyonce now lives in was reportedly previously owned by LA Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who sold it to an unnamed British billionaire last year, writes the Daily Mail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhSBONGjt0c

[Image credit: Getty Images]

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