Meghan Markle has relaunched her lifestyle brand under a new name, “As Ever,” which she secured in 2022. The brand, previously known as American Riviera Orchard, now features a website and Instagram account that showcases Meghan’s personal life, including a photo of herself with daughter Princess Lilibet.
However, the brand’s new venture shares a similar name with As Ever, a New York-based clothing brand. Mark Kolski, owner of the clothing brand, stated that he had no advance notice of Meghan’s upcoming name change and expressed his intention to continue making clothes under the same name. Jen Corbett, an Arizona-based wedding photographer, also uses the name As Ever but pointed out that Meghan’s new brand is not affiliated with hers.
Intellectual property lawyer Richard Stim noted that trademark issues often arise when people file broad applications, but in this case, Meghan’s application specifically does not include clothing goods. The PTO denied her previous attempt to register the trademark due to its primarily geographical description. The new brand’s emblem features a palm tree flanked by two hummingbirds, which has sparked controversy and raised questions about plagiarism.
A source revealed that the emblem incorporates elements referencing Meghan’s home in California and Prince Harry’s favorite bird species. As part of the process, comprehensive global searches were conducted to develop the brand. With Meghan’s As Ever filing not including an entry for Class 25 goods, she must wait approximately two years before acquiring trademark rights.
Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/meghan-markles-as-ever-logo-problems-trademark-experts