Estee Lauder Companies (ELC) has filed a lawsuit against British entrepreneur Jo ‌Malone, her fragrance brand “Jo Loves”, and Zara’s UK business. 

Estee Lauder Companies purchased Malone’s self-named perfume brand and the rights to use her ​name in 1999. 

Malone left the company in 2006 and launched a new ​fragrance label, “Jo Loves”, in 2011.

According to Reuters, the ELC lawsuit was filed because of “Jo Malone” on the ⁠packaging of “Jo Loves” fragrances sold by Zara.

ELC is suing Malone for breach of contract, trademark infringement, and “misleading consumers” into thinking that goods or services are connected to another business.

In The Irish Times, an ELC spokesperson commented, 

“When Ms Jo Malone sold the brand to The Estée Lauder Companies in 1999, she agreed to clear contractual terms that included refraining from using the Jo Malone name in certain commercial contexts, including the marketing of fragrances… We respect Ms Malone’s right to pursue new opportunities. But legally binding contractual obligations cannot be disregarded, and when those terms are breached, we will protect the brand that we have invested in and built over decades.”

Zara’s UK website shows product descriptions of the “Jo Loves Collab” fragrances containing the line “Created by Jo Malone CBE, founder of Jo Loves.” The name also appears on product packaging. 

However, it ​is unclear if products bearing Jo Malone’s name were placed on sale by ​Zara.

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