Forever 21 Times Square opening celebration at Forever 21 Times Square Flagship Store on June 24, 2010 in New York City.
Forever 21 is picking a fight with fashion blogger Rachel Kane, author of satire blog WTForever21. They threatened to sue her for copyright infringement if she did not shut down her site that sometimes mocks the company’s clothing. While Kane initially told readers she would shut down her site, she has changed her mind, according to the Consumerist. Her blog will remain open, and she will fight any suit that comes her way.
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In a statement, she outlines her reasoning for keeping the blog alive:
My site, WTForever21, does not infringe on any of Forever 21’s rights. It contains only criticism, commentary, and news reporting, all written in an educational and humorous manner, which are protected under applicable law. To the extent any of the material used on the site is in fact subject to intellectual property protection (which, in many instances, is by no means clear), the site’s incorporation of that material is a “fair use” under copyright, trademark law, and similar state law. It’s incredibly unlikely that any portion of the site would ever cause confusion in the minds of the general public about whether or not Forever 21 endorses or is affiliated with it. The blog in no way dilutes Forever 21’s trademark, as the company claims. If the company continues to makes threats that have no basis in law, my attorneys are prepared to vigorously defend me and seek all available legal redress against Forever 21.In the meantime, I am leaving the blog up. I look forward to returning to blogging about fashion atrocities like lime green, faux fur covered vests and candy colored booty shorts on WTForever21.com.
As for us, we stand with Kane. At NewsFeed, we believe in one’s unalienable right to make fun of silly fashion.
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