Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has faced criticism for using the name “As Ever” for her new cooking and lifestyle brand, which is also used by a vintage clothing brand founded by New York-based designer Mark Kolski. The similarity between the two brands led to confusion among customers and media scrutiny.
Kolski, 58, was surprised to learn that his company’s name had been associated with Meghan’s brand, which he announced on her Instagram account last Tuesday. Despite receiving numerous messages from friends and family about the similarity, Kolski chose not to pursue legal action against Meghan.
“I’m not trying to mount some legal offensive here,” Kolski said in an interview. “Right now, I’m just going back to work, and I’m trying to keep the awareness on my brand.”
According to Jeanne Fromer, a law professor specializing in intellectual property, Kolski may have trademark protection under his established business name, even if he doesn’t have a registered trademark.
As the controversy surrounding Meghan’s brand has died down, Kolski is benefiting from increased attention. His vintage clothing line has seen a surge of interest, with sales on his website’s sale section sold out and new fans following him on Instagram.
“I’m not concerned that it will hurt my business in the future,” Kolski said. “More people are aware of me now, which is positive for my brand.”
Meghan Markle did not immediately respond to requests for comment about her use of Kolski’s brand name or whether she was aware of his company.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/style/meghan-markle-as-ever-brand-name-controversy.html