Rihanna Sues Topshop For $5 Million: Company Sells Image Of Artist On Shirts Without Consent

Rihanna sues topshop for $5 million for continuing to sell T-shirts bearing her image without her consent. Topshop is chaired by billionaire Sir Philip Green.

A source told the New York Post that the pop superstar’s team had tried to negotiate with Topshop owners Arcadia Group for eight months over the rights to her image, “but they offered her $5,000 and said they don’t care,” according to the Post’s report.

The 25-year-old singer hired international law firm Reed Smith to file the suit in London.

The source also said, “Rihanna’s management asked Topshop a number of times to stop selling her image and were told, ‘We do what we want.’ They buy the pictures from a photographer, but they do not pay the artist licensing fees. Unfortunately, UK law does not protect the artist.”

“What is most offensive for Rihanna is that they basically told her, ‘Go to hell. We don’t care; we are going to continue selling you.’ Topshop is now in the United States. They set up in Manhattan and Nordstrom, but they know better than to do this in the US because they would get in trouble,” the source shared with the Post.

“Even though the UK laws don’t protect the artist, she has decided to move forward and sue Topshop. She has spent almost $1 million in litigation at this point. She says it’s the principle, and wants to make a statement about it. They are taking advantage of artists. It is just exploitation. What they are doing is wrong.”

According to an insider from Topshop who spoke with the Post, “This issue is related to a T-shirt provided to Topshop by a third-party supplier. We are aware it is the subject of litigation. [There are] public documents” available for inspection in the London court.

The source also said that the amount of damages sought by Rihanna is not articulated anywhere in the public documents.

Rihanna is a huge fan of Topshop and has been seen splurging on clothing at the Oxford Store and has been friends with Topshop heiress Chloe Green.