Superstar Beyonce has been hit with a trademark infringement lawsuit from bosses at American clothing firm Abercrombie & Fitch over plans to release her own perfume using the name of her alter ego Sasha Fierce.
The Irreplaceable hitmaker revealed on Tuesday she had signed with fragrance house Coty to launch her own scent by spring 2010.
Beyonce, who has previously been the face of Tommy Hilfiger’s True Star range of perfumes and Emporio Armani’s Diamonds, said, “For me, fragrance reflects a woman’s attitude and unique sense of style.
“While I love various perfumes, I haven’t found a scent that truly personifies me as a woman. Working with Coty, I was able to turn my ideal fragrance into a reality by creating an alluring and sophisticated fragrance; one that’s reflective of my inner power.”
But news of Beyonce’s big money deal has prompted Abercrombie & Fitch to take legal action over fears her Sasha Fierce perfume will cause confusion among shoppers with their own-branded Fierce fragrance.
Company executives filed a federal lawsuit in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday in a bid to block Beyonce and Coty releasing their scent with the word ‘fierce’ in its name.
The legal papers state the singer’s fragrance plan “poses a likelihood of confusion” for consumers and could cost Abercrombie & Fitch in sales.
They argue Fierce is the fashion brand’s “signature” scent and is regularly sprayed around its retail stores so that “all garments that leave the store have the Fierce scent attached to them”.
Abercrombie & Fitch has grossed more than $190 million in profits from the Fierce fragrance since 2002 and expects to pull in $64 million in sales this year (09) alone.
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