Owner of clothing company with same name as Meghan Markle's brand As Ever addresses 'rift' claims
The brand has faced numerous blows since the announcementMeghan Markle came under fire when another brand named As Ever spoke out about her using the same name as their business. And now, the owner of the company has revealed how he truly feels.
As Ever is the new name for Meghan’s lifestyle brand, originally called American Riviera Orchard. But after the announcement, it didn’t take long before other companies called Meghan out for using their name.
A family-run clothing business based in New York specialises in “restructured vintage, small quantity pieces and unique one-of-a-kinds”. At the time they updated their followers to let them know they will continue to promote their work as much as possible. Now, Mark Kolski, owner of the business, has spoken out about what he plans to do next.
Clothing brand owner speaks out on Meghan Markle brand As Ever
Speaking to the New York Times, Mark admitted he has been looking up details on trademark law, and has even consulted with a lawyer on the matter. However, in a positive light, since the announcement, his following on social media has increased by a massive load.
He said at first, he “started getting messages from friends and family” and from “people that know my brand”.
At the beginning there was a lot of “confusion” over the situation, and he “didn’t really know” what his next steps could be.
I haven’t talked to them. They haven’t talked to me. There is no battle going on.
Mark explained that he reached out to his brother, who is an attorney, for legal advice on how best to handle the situation.
He explained: “My brother is an attorney, so I called him. He’s not an intellectual property lawyer, but he did say ‘You have some rights based on your established business’.”
Despite this, he admits he isn’t looking to take any legal action against Meghan for using the same name as his vintage clothing brand. But he said that he will keep his eye on the situation in case it changes at any point.
Mark added: “I’m not trying to mount some legal offensive here. Right now, I am just going back to work. And I am trying to keep the awareness of my brand. If any conflict eventually arises that affects my business, I will evaluate that then.”
As for how he feels about the duchess, Mark explains he has no bad feelings against her.
“What it feels like is out there people are making comments. And they want to create a rift between us. But there isn’t. I haven’t talked to them. They haven’t talked to me. There is no battle going on,” the co-founder explained.
Royal Insider understands the Duchess of Sussex’s brand, As Ever, is a lifestyle brand and will not be making clothing.
Logo for Meghan’s brand sparks backlash
The update comes as Meghan’s As Ever brand faced blows just days after she made the announcement.
Not only was there backlash over the name, but also the logo. Many fans called out the similarities between it and the Coat of Arms of Porreres in Majorca, Spain.
Both designs feature a palm tree and a bird on either side. But the colours and type of birds are different.
The mayor of Porreres told MailOnline at the time that she was “shocked” and thought it was “fake” when it first came to her attention. She then called for Meghan to change her logo, which has not happened.
Read more: Prince William and Kate’s friends ‘use brutal nickname’ for Meghan Markle’s rebrand attempt
Follow our Facebook page @RoyalInsiderOfficial for the latest royal news. Leave us a comment, we would love to hear your thoughts!
