{Rihanna’s unauthorized likeness on Topshop tank top}Rihanna has repeatedly asked TopShop to cease selling a tank top that features a picture of the singer from her We Found Love music video. However, the British-based retailer continues to stick stores with the item. Why doesn’t TopShop just stop selling it, its ugly anyway. Could anyone even be buying it?
Well either way, apparently Rihanna and her legal eagles negotiated with TopShop for 8 months to come to a fee agreement with respect to the image. Apparently, TopShop offered her $5,000 and said “they don’t care”. Now Rihanna is suing, but let me break it down for you folks. Rihanna will lose. How do I know? I did happen to go to law school, but anyone who can read at a 3rd grade level could figure this out.
UK law allows for the purchase of photographer images directly from the photographer. Under the law, the artist is now owed any licensing or trademark fees from this arrangement, that may otherwise be required in the US.
Topshop isn’t selling the t-shirts in the US. Only in the UK, where this practice complies with current law.
Unless Rihanna’s legal team can somehow prove that a significant amount of tank tops with her photo on it are being purchased by US residents and she deserves a cut, this case will develop into nothing. And that argument would be a stretch, probably. The case is currently in discovery, which means the very first stages of a lawsuit.
Why doesn’t Rihanna just throw down for the tank tops and buy them out herself. Wouldn’t that be cheaper than paying the lawyers at Reed Smith? Just saying.
