Jo Malone hopes ‘sense will prevail’ in lawsuit over her name

Jo Malone hopes ‘sense will prevail’ in lawsuit over her name

Perfume designer Jo Malone expressed hope that ‘sense will prevail’ in a legal dispute involving her and Zara, initiated by Estée Lauder, the beauty giant. The case centers on the use of her name in a collaboration between Jo Loves and the Spanish retailer. Malone established her eponymous brand, Jo Malone London, in the early 1990s, which was acquired by Estée Lauder in 1999. That deal included the rights to her name, but in 2011, she launched a new venture, Jo Loves, offering fragrances, candles, and toiletries.

Last month, Estée Lauder Companies filed High Court proceedings against Malone, Jo Loves, and Zara’s UK division, alleging trademark infringement and breach of contract. Speaking publicly for the first time since the legal action began, Malone shared her disappointment, calling the situation “very surprising and very sad.” In an Instagram video, she highlighted that Jo Loves and Zara had made efforts to distinguish the collaboration from her original brand. “We’ve done everything possible to clarify that this project is unrelated to Jo Malone London,” she stated.

“We’ve literally done as much as we possibly can,” Malone added, emphasizing her commitment to transparency. The collaboration, which started seven years ago, was branded as “A creation by Jo Malone CBE, founder of Jo Loves” on packaging, sparking Estée Lauder’s claim. Despite this, the lawsuit targets Malone personally, along with the Jo Loves brand and Zara’s UK operations.

Estée Lauder maintained that Malone agreed to contractual terms in 1999, which restricted her use of the “Jo Malone” name for commercial purposes, including fragrance marketing. She had previously upheld these conditions but now faces legal challenges. The company defended its position, stating, “She was compensated as part of this agreement, and for many years, she abided by its terms. We respect Ms Malone’s right to pursue new opportunities, but legally binding obligations cannot be ignored.”

Malone, who was born on a council estate in southeast London, remained as creative director of her original brand until 2006. A non-compete clause prevented her from launching new fragrance or skincare lines until 2011, when she founded Jo Loves. In the Instagram video, she reiterated her stance: “I can’t stop being a person,” she said. “Why is Estée Lauder suing me now, when the Zara partnership began in 2019? If it was wrong then, it should have been addressed back then.”

“I sold a company, I did not sell myself,” she added, asserting that the collections in question were crafted by her personally. Malone remains open to defending her position in court but hopes for a resolution that allows both parties to coexist in the market. “My integrity means a lot to me,” she said. “I hope sense will prevail and we will find a new and different way to work together.”

The BBC has sought Estée Lauder’s response, while Zara has chosen not to comment on the matter.