LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Pop star Ariana Grande is suing fashion retailer Forever 21 and its spin-off cosmetics brand, Riley Rose, for $10 million, alleging in court papers filed in Los Angeles that the company used a look-alike model in an ad campaign without permission.
The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges that the trademark violations took place in late 2018 and early this year, using unlicensed imagery from her ``Thank U, Next'' album and ``7 Rings'' music video.
A Forever 21 representative issued a statement on the company's behalf.
``While we dispute the allegations, we are huge supporters of Ariana Grande and have worked with her licensing company over the past two years,'' the statement reads. ``We are hopeful that we will find a mutually agreeable resolution and can continue to work together in the future.''
Grande alleges that Forever 21 ran the ad campaign on its website and social media platforms.
``As of February 2019, Ms. Grande became the most-followed woman on Instagram in the world, amassing more than 160 million Instagram followers; a title she continues to hold through the date of filing this complaint," according to the lawsuit. ``Even a single social media post by Ms. Grande can garner fees of several hundred thousand dollars, and her longer-term endorsement arrangements command fees in the millions of dollars.''
