Perfumer Jo Malone responds to Estée Lauder legal action

British perfumer Jo Malone has publicly responded after Estée Lauder Companies initiated legal proceedings against her in the UK over the use of her name on fragrance packaging linked to a collaboration with ZARA.

The dispute centres on Malone’s involvement with fragrances sold through the Inditex-owned brand. According to previous reports, Estée Lauder filed a claim in the UK High Court alleging breach of contract, trademark infringement and “passing off”, a legal concept referring to misleading consumers into believing goods or services are associated with another business.

Estée Lauder acquired Malone’s original brand, Jo Malone London, in 1999, including the rights to use her name. Malone departed the company in 2006 and later launched a new fragrance business, Jo Loves, in 2011. In recent years, she has collaborated with ZARA on fragrance collections.

The legal action is said to focus on the appearance of the name “Jo Malone” on packaging for Jo Loves fragrances sold through ZARA, including the wording: “A creation by Jo Malone CBE, founder of Jo Loves.”

In a previous statement, a spokesperson for Estée Lauder said the company had invested heavily in building Jo Malone London into a globally recognised brand over the past 25 years. The spokesperson added that when Malone sold the business, she agreed to contractual terms that restricted the use of her name in certain commercial contexts, including fragrance marketing, and that she had been compensated accordingly.

The statement continued: “We respect Ms. Malone’s right to pursue new opportunities. But legally binding contractual obligations cannot be disregarded, and when those terms are breached, we will protect the brand that we have invested in and built over decades.”

Malone addressed the situation in an Instagram Reel posted on 8 April, describing herself as “surprised and very sad” to have received the High Court claim. She confirmed that a legal defence is being prepared and stated she is ready to contest the case.

She said: “Once that defence has been handed in, those will become public knowledge, and you can read them for yourself.

“I hope sense will prevail, and we will find a new and different way of being able to work in the same marketplace.”

Malone said the dispute relates to her creative collaboration with ZARA, which began several years ago.

She said: “Now let me just take you back just a little bit. Seven years ago, I started to work with ZARA. They approached me, they did not approach a company, they did not approach a brand, they did not approach a logo.

“They approached me, Jo Malone, the person, and asked whether I would start working with them and create beautiful fragrances that everyone could wear in the world.”

Malone argued that measures had been taken to avoid confusion with Jo Malone London, stating that ZARA staff were trained to ensure there was no perceived overlap between the brands.

She added: “We have gone above and beyond and above and beyond again, to make sure everyone understands this has nothing to do with the Jo Malone, London company.”

Questioning the timing of the legal action, Malone said: “The second question I ask myself is, and this is the big one for me, why now?

“It does not make any sense at all. Seven years with ZARA. So if it was wrong now, it would have been wrong on day one, and nobody did anything about it. That is the big one for me.”

She also reflected on the broader implications of the dispute, stating: “The third question is, where do we go from here. If I cannot be me, who on earth am I meant to be for the rest of my life?

“So what is this all about, this high court claim? Let me tell you in three words: my own name.

“I sold a company. I did not sell myself.”

Malone concluded: "My integrity means a lot to me to speak truth, to act in truth and to create in truth, and I will continue to tell you this story in truth.”

TheIndustry.beauty has contacted Estée Lauder Companies for comment.