Rihanna sues Topshop

Global superstar Rihanna is suing British fashion retailer Topshop for 5 million US dollars for selling t-shirts bearing her image without her consent, it has emerged. According to the New York Post, Rihanna’s team has been trying to negotiate with Topshop

owners Arcadia Group for the past eight months regarding the rights to her image, though these talks broke down after the retailer offering the popstar a 5,000 US dollars settlement.

The t-shirt in question was on sale at Topshop at the end of last year, and bore an image of Rihanna from her ‘We Found Love’ music video. The dispute is because here in the UK there is no ‘right of publicity’, unlike in America, where the singer could evoke the ‘right of publicity’, which prohibits the use of one’s image or name for advertising or trade purposes without written consent, which is probably the reason why this t-shirt was not sold through Topshop’s US stores.

Rihanna files case against Topshop

The singer has instructed her UK lawyers Reed Smith to file the suit in London and the case will be heard in the High Court of Justice this summer. According to WWD, Rihanna’s legal team would have to prove that the Topshop tee portrayed her as endorsing the brand. If Rihanna is successful in her claims it would be a groundbreaking decision, and could open up the flood gates for further artists to make claims over their image.

The New York Post added that so far the singer has spent almost 1 million US dollars in legal fees, but the star feels that it is the principle of the matter to proceed and fight for artists’ rights.

News of the legal battle comes just a week after Rihanna revealed pieces from her latest collection for Topshop’s competitor River Island. In a behind-the-scenes video, Rihanna can be seen admiring a similar top with a photograph of herself that was taken by her friend Melissa Forde.

A spokesperson for Topshop declined to comment on the reports.