Pharrell Sues E-Commerce Company For Selling Fake Billionaire Boys Club Products - NewsBreak
Pharrell Williams files a $14 million lawsuit against a company behind counterfeit BBC products.
Pharrell Williams is going after an online print-on-demand company for allegedly selling counterfeit replicas of his Billionaire Boys Club company.
The music and fashion mogul’s BBC Ice Cream LLC filed a $14 million lawsuit against online retailer Spreadshirt, All Hip Hop reports. Williams is seeking damages and a court order to stop the alleged infringement of his coveted streetwear brand.
The complaint alleges Spreadshirt enabled unauthorized sellers to upload and sell counterfeit BBC merchandise, handling printing, packaging, and shipping, while hiding its involvement in the operation through “white label” packaging. Spreadshirt is accused of willfully participating in the counterfeit scheme by failing to implement safeguards to prevent intellectual property theft from which it profited.
“[Spreadshirt’s] conduct continues unabated, and the manufacture, publishing, advertising for sale and sales of counterfeit and infringing Products persist,” Williams’ attorney Richard J. Pocker said. “BBC brings this action to put a stop to this ongoing unlawful conduct and to hold [Spreadshirt] accountable for their actions.”
The lawsuit charges Spreadshirt with violating federal trademark laws, including counterfeiting, trademark dilution, and false designation of origin. In response, BBC is seeking injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and an immediate halt to the counterfeit sales.
Founded in 2003 by Williams and Japanese designer Nigo, Billionaire Boys Club & Ice Cream marked Williams’ first foray into fashion at the height of his success as a sought-after music producer and artist. The brand quickly rose to prominence with its bold designs and silhouettes that blended luxury fashion with skate and hip-hop culture, cementing its place as a global streetwear staple.
With flagship stores in New York and Miami and retail partnerships with Nordstrom, END, Ssense, and Selfridges, Billionaire Boys Club has built its reputation on blending streetwear with luxury. Williams has leveraged his music career and star power to elevate the brand, featuring it in music videos and most recently in his Lego-animated biopic, Piece by Piece. At its core, BBC continues to champion its guiding motto: “Wealth is of the heart and mind, not the pocket.”