In June 2022, Hailey Bieber, a renowned model and wife of Justin Bieber, launched her highly anticipated skincare line called Rhode. However, just a week after its launch, the skincare brand faced a lawsuit for trademark infringement filed by a New York-based fashion label with the same name. The fashion company, Rhode (styled RHODE), has been in business for eight years and is co-owned by Purna Khatau and Phoebe Vickers.
The legal dispute between the two parties began when Khatau and Vickers filed a lawsuit against Hailey Bieber on June 21, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. They claimed that they had no choice but to file the lawsuit to protect their brand from confusion. Despite wishing Hailey success, the co-owners requested her to change the name of her skincare line as it was hurting their business, employees, customers, and partners.
However, on July 25, 2022, a judge ruled in favor of Hailey Bieber, allowing her to move forward with her skincare brand for the time being. The court denied the plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction without prejudice, which enabled Bieber to continue promoting her brand despite the ongoing trademark lawsuit.
The Rhode clothing brand spokesperson stated that this ruling was not a victory for Bieber but rather a decision by the judge not to prohibit her skincare line from using their brand name while litigation proceeds.
Rhode skincare products have gained immense popularity since their launch, with some items selling out twice and boasting a waitlist of over 100,000 people. The skincare line, which focuses on protecting and reinforcing the skin barrier, is available for purchase on Rhode's official website.
