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(London = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = British perfume entrepreneur Jo Malone was sued by American beauty giant Estee Lauder Companies for trademark infringement by using her name ‘Jo Malone’ without permission.
According to Reuters and the Daily Guardian on the 12th (local time), Estee Lauder filed a lawsuit against Malone, his perfume brand Jo Loves, and Zara’s UK branch in a British court, claiming that Malone violated the contract by using the name ‘Jo Malone’ while releasing a collaboration product with the fashion brand Zara and infringed on the trademark rights of the Estee Lauder brand ‘Jo Malone London‘.
Malone, who is from the UK and lives in Dubai, sold his eponymous perfume brand and the rights to use the name to Estee Lauder in 1999, and left Estee Lauder in 2006 when he stepped down from his position as creative director. In later media interviews, Malone repeatedly expressed regret, saying that handing over the rights to his name was the biggest mistake of his life.
Malone created a new perfume brand, Jo Loves, in 2011 after her contractual non-compete clause expired.
Last year, Joe Loves released a perfume product in collaboration with Zara. The product packaging contained the phrase ‘Product created by Jo Malone, founder of Jo Loves.’
An Estee Lauder spokesperson claimed, “Mr. Malone’s recent use of the name ‘Jo Malone’ in connection with a commercial venture goes beyond the legal contract and damages the unique brand equity of Jo Malone London.”
“We respect Ms. Malone’s right to pursue new opportunities, but we must not ignore her legally binding contractual obligations,” the spokesperson said. “Over the past 25 years, Estee Lauder has invested heavily in building Jo Malone London.”
Estee Lauder also has the right to use the name of the cosmetics brand ‘Bobbi Brown’. Founder Bobbi Brown also left Estee Lauder and created a new brand, Jones Road.
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Sent at 02:06 on March 13, 2026
