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Reese Witherspoon Sued for Copyright Infringement on Logo

By Ephrat Livni, Esq. on March 03, 2016 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Reese Witherspoon has made a fortune being a smart blonde actress playing a simple southern gal you could sip lemonade with on the porch. She says she likes to dress up for church, tailgate, and enjoy iced tea (sometimes spiked?).

So she decided to capitalize on that image with a jewelry line called Draper James, inspired by her personal style. She did this after being approached by East Coast designers who just didn't get her, says Witherspoon. Only the Draper James logo supposedly infringes on another designer's copyright, according to The Daily Mail. Let's look at the claim.

Witherspoon Reflected

Reese Witherspoon, the actress who has her own infringement claims against other jewelry makers, is being sued for her Draper James clothing line launched last May. Jordann Weingartner alleges that the logo for Witherspoon's line resembles her trademarked I Love Jewelry brand and she wants the actress to stop using it and pay her damages. This is similar to what Witherspoon seeks from others using her name and style to make money.

Weingartner is suing to have Witherspoon's logos removed from stores. Meanwhile, the actress has been actively marketing her line since last May. At issue is a 6-pointed magnolia with flowing cursive initials in the middle, the two brands' logos.

Weingartner says Witherspoon's use dilutes her own longstanding right to the signage. Did Witherspoon intentionally copy or do these two tasteful ladies just happen to have the same design instincts? It may be for a judge to say ... unless Witherspoon settles the claim.

Touchstones of a Storyteller

Draper James is named after Witherspoon's grandparents and is reportedly popular. Witherspoon sees it as her way of telling the southern story that other designers just don't get.

She has said of the line, "I have been to the Hamptons only once. I haven't traveled in the Northeast. What I know is Charleston and North Carolina and the beaches of Georgia ... Those are the touchstones in my life. Those are the stories I wanted to tell."

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