Bernard Arnault-Owned Company Demands Small Beauty Company Change Name Kenz founder Rim Daghmash calls the demand "pure bullying and harassment."
By Steve Huff
Kenz Beauty, a skincare brand specializing in all-natural products, finds itself in a classic David vs. Goliath corporate battle after legal challenges from Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy's (LVMH) subsidiary, Kenzo. The luxury conglomerate, owned by the world's wealthiest man, Bernard Arnault, demands a change immediately, claiming that the small business's name is "deceptively similar" to theirs.
People reports that as a tribute to her child and to counteract the stigma associated with autism, Kenz Beauty founder Rim Daghmash named the brand after her daughter Kenzie, who is on the autism spectrum. Part of every sale made by Kenz Beauty is donated to autism research. The name is a central part of the brand's message. Daghmash believes changing it would affect finances and take away from the brand's purpose.
Unable to afford legal fees, Daghmash has offered mediation. So far, her offer has been ignored. In a video posted on Instagram, the small business owner noted that she "launched this business to tell the world that autistic kids are beautiful."
"We are inspired by Kenzie's beauty," Daghmash said, "and we've called the business Kenz Beauty because autistic kids are beautiful." She went on to say, "To me, as a small business owner, this is pure bullying and harassment."
Kenzo released a statement to Australian Channel 9 in which it said it is "is acting worldwide to protect its brand and products in order to avoid any risk of confusion with a third-party brand and, above all, to fight against infringement."
Kenzo said discussions in the hope of reaching an agreement are ongoing, and it wishes "full success to Ms. Daghmash and the action she is achieving via her company."
