Unpacking Kylie Jenner Lip Kit Lawsuits

Kylie Jenner debuted Kylie Cosmetics in 2015 with just one product: the Lip Kit. The matte liquid lipstick and lip liner in each set were modelled after Jenner's well known overlined pout. Within minutes, the first batch was sold out. The remainder is history from the influencer era. The crowded market for celebrity beauty brands was not yet what it is today. The Lip Kit promoted exclusivity, aspiration, and the Instagram-perfect look in addition to makeup. Rapid scrutiny, however, frequently accompanies rapid growth. 

The “KYLIE” Trademark Battle

In 2016, Kylie Minogue officially resisted Jenner's attempt to trademark the name "KYLIE" for branding and cosmetics in 2016. As a well-known performer for decades before Jenner's brand existed, Minogue's legal team contended that she already owned Kylie-related trademarks in the US and the website www.kylie.com. Jenner was referred to in the filing as a "secondary reality television  personality," a description that naturally went viral online. 

This case was about intellectual property law - specifically, whether a common first name can be exclusively controlled when it’s already commercially associated with someone else. Ultimately, Jenner’s broader trademark application for “KYLIE” was denied in that form. However, Kylie Cosmetics continued operating under its established branding without being dismantled. 

Copyright & Packaging Claims

Kylie Cosmetics was also accused in separate instances of copying design concepts from independent creators. One notable lawsuit alleged similarities between Kylie Cosmetics’ drip-style logo and artwork created by a freelance designer, Vlada Haggerty. 

In the US the core copyright infringement elements are:

• “original works of authorship”

• can show “substantial similarity” between the copyrighted work and the defendant’s work

• the defendant sought “commercial advantage or private financial gain”

This specific dispute was settled privately, and resulted in Jenner crediting Haggerty as inspiration for the Lip Kits' logo 

Popularity of these cases

Kylie Jenner’s brand existed at the intersection of:

• Celebrity capitalism

• Influencer culture

• Beauty standards

• Social media virality

Unlike traditional corporate litigation, these disputes unfolded in real time across Twitter, YouTube commentary channels, and beauty blogs. These cases were largely paper battles, fought through filings, motions, and settlement agreements leaving plenty of room for speculation and drama concoction. 

Should celebrity status translate into broader commercial control?

Celebrities generally benefit from the right of publicity, which refers to the legal right to control commercial use of their name and image, which generally most would consider to be clearly acceptable. However, this line might start to become murkier when the 'brand' is much broader, like a common name, a general aesthetic, or a cultural trend. 

Celebrities invest time, labour, and money into cultivating their brand. From that perspective, their name is intellectual property. If a public figure devotes decades of their life into building recognition, is it not reasonable for them to protect it? In 2026, personal identity is a business asset and denying them protection would arguably undermine modern creative industries. German philosopher, Nietzsche argued that Western morality often glorifies what he referred to as the 'slave morality' in championing weakness, humility and submission. In contrast he advocated the "will to power"; the drive to assert oneself, reject leading values and instead shape your own. Individuals own themselves, and when they mix their labour with the world, they create property. If you do not protect what you create, you weaken the very system that allows individuals to build success. 

That being said, the moment commercial control shifts from protecting your creation to supressing fair competition or controlling shared cultural elements, the moral justification weakens significantly. 

Celebrity Brands in the Age of Litigation

There was a time when celebrity endorsements meant a perfume line and a glossy magazine spread. Now a celebrity doesn’t just endorse a brand - they are the brand. In the influencer economy, identity is capital. A face becomes equity. And when identity becomes monetised at scale, litigation is never far behind.