Hailey Bieber recently launched her Rhode skincare line to a great deal of fanfare. Hailey has over 45 million social media followers and was hoping she had a huge hit on her hands. Instead, she got a lawsuit.

TMZ obtained legal documents that reveal that clothing company Rhode NYC (which is the corporate name of the company, who brands itself as ‘Rhode’ and is referred to as ‘Rhode NYC’ in this story for clarity) is suing Hailey Bieber’s brand for trademark infringement. They believe that Bieber attempted to acquire the trademark in the past, but Rhode NYC did not want to hand it over. Notably, Rhode is Hailey Bieber’s middle name.

Rhode owners Purna Khatau and Phoebe Vickers claim that Hailey Bieber’s status as a major celebrity is causing their brand to suffer. Justin Bieber, Hailey’s husband, has also promoted the company to his own 243 million followers on Instagram. The clothing line says it’s impossible to draw a clear separation between the brands.

Khatau and Vickers claim that people often confuse the two online. This consumer confusion is the basis of their lawsuit. Time will tell if it holds up in court.

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Rhode NYC is seeking to force Hailey to stop using the Rhode name. If they are successful, it will be back to the drawing board for Mrs. Bieber. Given that the company is named after her legal middle name, it may be an uphill battle.

A lawsuit is the last thing Hailey Bieber needs in her life. Justin Bieber has been dealing with a serious medical issue. Hailey has had some complications with blood clots. The added stress of a legal battle may not be what the doctor ordered.

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Michael Perry

Michael Perry is a news contributor for Ringside News and Thirsty for News. Michael has an M.A. in Communication Technology from Point Park University in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA.

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