iStock/WolterkAriana Grande has said “no, thank u” to Forever 21.
She’s suing the retailer, as well as Riley Rose — a beauty company started by daughters of Forever 21’s founders — for “unauthorized use” of her “name, image, likeness and music” to promote their brands and boost sales.
According to court documents obtained by ABC News, Ari is seeking damages in an amount “no…less than $10 milllion.”
According to the lawsuit, Forever 21 tried to sign Ariana to an endorsement deal “in or around early 2019,” which “she explicitly declined due to Forever 21’s unwillingness to pay the fair market value for a celebrity of Ms. Grande’s stature.”
But then, according to the documents, Ariana’s images and music were used in the brand’s social media posts on Instagram in January and February 2019.
“The campaign capitalized on the concurrent success of Ms. Grande’s album thank U, next by publishing at least 30 unauthorized images and videos misappropriating Ms. Grande’s name, image, likeness, and music in order to create the false perception of her endorsement,” the lawsuit stated.
As for Riley Rose, the suit says both it and Forever 21, “fearing irrelevance in a rapidly evolving market with increasing competition,” allegedly stole Grande’s “intellectual property to promote their brands for free.”
The suit notes that Ariana is “selective of the brands” she partners with “and frequently turns down endorsement proposals.”
Forever 21, a privately-owned clothing retailer, sells mostly to women ages 14 to 24. It has approximately 815 stores in 57 countries around the world.
Forever 21 and Riley Rose did not immediately return ABC News’ request for comment.
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