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ARTICLE · 11 JULY 2019

Lost in translation: The People vs Kim K

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Japanese IP lawyers objected to celebrity Kim Kardashian's proposed trademark 'Kimono' for her body shape solutions line.

AustraliaIntellectual Property
Blair Beven
Blair Beven
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Japan is sending an envoy of intellectual property lawyers to the US to help sort out the dispute with television celebrity Kim Kardashian regarding her proposed choice of trade mark for her body shape solutions line 'Kimono'.

Kim Kardashian has started a rather curious diplomatic row in her choice of name for her products prompting accusations of cultural appropriation. The word 'kimono' is a very well-known word in Japan and is closely associated with a long traditional robe/gown which has huge cultural significance. Her choice of the word 'kimono' as a trade mark has been considered disrespectful to Japanese culture.

Unfortunately, Kim Kardashian has taken a significant misstep and fallen foul one of the basic lessons of trade mark selection: always consider the normal meaning of a word, including cultural considerations. There are numerous examples of companies, including large multinational companies, choosing brands or logos, with huge marketing hype only to

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