Victoria Beckham has lost a legal battle with US luxury handbag retailer Vera Bradley over the use of her initials VB, after her legal team withdrew their opposition. The fashion designer, 52, had hired law firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp to stop the brand from registering the initials, arguing that she was globally known for them and that consumers might be confused. However, the application by Vera Bradley, which generates £200 million a year, has now been registered by the US Patent and Trademark Office following the withdrawal.
The US Patent and Trademark Office stated: “The Board notes the request, filed by Potential Opposer, Victoria Beckham Limited, to relinquish its extension of time to file a notice of opposition. In view thereof, the relinquishment releases the record of application for further processing.” The decision marks another setback for Beckham, who lost a similar case in Norway in October against Vendela Beauty, where it was ruled she was not famous enough in the country.
In the Norwegian case, Beckham had argued that Vendela Beauty's logo was almost identical to her own and could confuse consumers, providing sales figures and Instagram follower numbers. However, the ruling noted that she failed to demonstrate how many of her brand’s followers were based in Norway. Vendela Kirsebom, a Norwegian-Swedish model and television host, had trademarked her company in 2021, years before Beckham's opposition.
Beckham also settled a dispute with Australian-based VB Skinland in 2020 after they successfully registered trademarks for VB Salon and VB Skinlab. The news comes shortly after Beckham addressed the rift with her eldest son Brooklyn in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, saying she and husband David have always tried to “protect and love our children.”
