Kim Kardashian Sues Fashion Company for Allegedly Using Her Image Without Permission to Sell Knockoff Outfits

Kim Kardashian
ET Online

Kardashian's lawsuit comes a day after she blasted fashion labels for copying her looks.

Kim Kardashian West is suing Missguided USA a day after blasting fashion labels for copying her looks.  

In documents obtained by ET, Kim filed a lawsuit against the online retailer on Wednesday for allegedly using her name and image without permission. Kim is asking the court for damages in an amount no less than 10 million, disgorgement -- which is the act of giving up something such as the profits obtained by illegal or unethical acts on demand or by legal compulsion -- of Missguided’s profits, and for a permanent injunction restraining Missguided from future infringement.

The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star also shared photos of what she claimed were Missguided’s “knock-off” versions of her clothing. She also alleges that Missguided “in total disregard of Kardashian’s trademark rights and rights of publicity, have repeatedly used Kardashian’s name and image without authorization to generate interest in their brand and website, and to elicit sales of their products.”

She also claims that Missguided “specializes in 'fast' and inexpensive clothing designs, which are often derivative of other companies’ designs if not blatant knock-offs. Missguided has become particularly well-known for copying designs worn by famous celebrities, which it then offers for sale on its sites within days -- sometimes even hours -- of the celebrity appearing in the clothing.”

The lawsuit states that “Missguided has not only knocked-off the clothing of other designers, but it has unabashedly misappropriated the rights of celebrities like Kardashian in selling these knock-offs on its websites.”

Per the suit, Kim is suing for “violation of statutory right of publicity, violation of common law right of publicity, false designation of origin, trademark infringement, common law trademark infringement.”

On Tuesday, the makeup mogul turned to social media to blast copycat labels for ripping off the designers who dress her, sometimes in outfits which have taken up to a year to plan.

The series of frustrated tweets came after a website advertised a knock-off of the racy and revealing one-of-a-kind, vintage Thierry Mugler dress, which the 38-year-old reality star wore to the Hollywood Fashion Awards on Sunday evening.

“Only two days ago, I was privileged enough to wear a one-of-a-kind vintage Mugler dress and in less than 24 hours it was knocked off and thrown up on a site -- but it's not for sale,” she wrote. “You have to sign up for a waitlist because the dress hasn’t even been made to sell yet. This is a way to get people to sign up for their mailing list and make people believe there is some kind of relationship between me and this fashion site. There is not.”

“It’s devastating to see these fashion companies rip off designs that have taken the blood, sweat and tears of true designers who have put their all into their own original ideas,” she said. “I’ve watched these companies profit off my husband’s work for years and now that it’s also affecting designers who have been so generous to give me access to their beautiful works, I can no longer sit silent.”

For more on Kardashian, watch below.

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