Cosmetics firm takes legal action against London-born perfumer who sold brand and rights to her name in 1999
Estée Lauder is taking legal action against the British perfumer Jo Malone after she used her name on a fragrance for the fashion chain Zara.
Malone sold her perfume brand to Estée Lauder Companies in 1999 in a deal under which she was blocked from using her name for particular commercial reasons including the marketing of fragrance.
Malone stepped down as creative director of the Jo Malone brand in 2006 and has since said she regretted selling the rights to her name, calling it the “biggest mistake of my life” in several interviews.
After a non-compete clause ended in 2011, Malone set up the Jo Loves brand. Last year, the perfume brand launched a collaboration with Zara. The packaging includes the words: “A creation by Jo Malone CBE, founder of Jo Loves.”
