This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Artist News Brands & Merch Business News Legal
Selena Gomez sues fashion game in $10 million publicity rights lawsuit
By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 15 April 2020
Selena Gomez has sued the makers of a mobile game called ‘Clothes Forever – Styling Game’ which, she claims, uses her likeness without permission.
‘Clothes Forever’ describes itself as “the hottest new fashion game”, saying in its official blurb: “Ever dreamed of traveling around the world in style, dressing celebrities, and designing your very own fashion brand? ‘Clothes Forever’ will allow you to live out all your fantasies and become the fashionista you were born to be!”
Along the way, the game says, users will “interact with the most beautiful models and celebrities; the likes of Kardashian, Gigi, Beyonce, Taylor, and more”. And all this digital fun is available to anyone who buys virtual diamonds within the app, which are available in packages from 99c to a mere $99.
Gomez’s $10 million lawsuit against the game’s makers claims that one of the graphics used to promote the app clearly rips off her likeness, it featuring an avatar that looks very similar to the pop star, and who is also replicating the pose Gomez herself used on the cover of fashion magazine Flare a few years back. This, she reckons, infringes her so called publicity rights under US law.
According to Variety, the lawsuit states: “Defendants never requested, consulted, or informed Gomez regarding the use of any of her publicity rights in connection with the game. Nor, if asked, would Gomez have consented to such use for the game, which apparently relies on the unsavoury practice of luring its users to make in-game purchases in amounts as much as $99.99 to fund imaginary spending in the game and unlock features”.
The legal filing also complains that ‘Clothes Forever’ is “bug-riddled” and only scores a 3.5 rating in Apple’s App Store. Which means not only is Gomez’s image being used without permission, but she’s being linked to a shoddy product. Allegedly.
Makers of the game are yet to respond.
