Victoria Beckham has dropped a legal challenge against US handbag brand Vera Bradley over the use of the initials VB, according to reports. The fashion designer, 52, had hired a legal team to oppose the brand's trademark application last year, arguing that she was globally recognised by her initials, which feature in her beauty brand's logo.
Law firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, representing Victoria Beckham Ltd, contended that consumers might mistakenly believe Vera Bradley's designs were linked to Beckham. However, after initially requesting more time to build their case, the opposition was withdrawn, and the US Patent and Trademark Office has now registered Vera Bradley's trademark.
Vera Bradley, founded in 1982 by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, generates around £200 million annually and counts celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Sarah Jessica Parker among its customers. The US Patent and Trademark Office noted that Victoria Beckham Limited had relinquished its extension of time to file a notice of opposition, allowing the application to proceed.
This is not the first time Beckham has faced difficulty in trademark disputes. In October, she lost a similar battle against Norwegian firm Vendela Beauty, which successfully argued that she was not sufficiently famous in Norway. The company's founder, Vendela Kirsebom, had registered the trademark in 2021. In 2020, Beckham settled with Australian-based VB Skinland after they registered the trademarks VB Salon and VB Skinlab.
The news comes shortly after Beckham publicly addressed the ongoing rift with her eldest son, Brooklyn, stating in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that she and her husband David have always tried to protect and love their children.
