Beyond 'Hepburn Time': Navigating China's Clear Legal Boundaries For Celebrity Name And Image Use

The Case of the "Angel's Hepburn Time" Restaurant

The iconic actress Audrey Hepburn passed away in 1993. A Chinese restaurant named "Angel's Hepburn Time" thought it had found a clever way to evoke an aura of timeless elegance. Founded in 2004, it used Audrey Hepburn's name and images across its storefront, official website, and social media for commercial promotion from 2014 onwards.

They landed themselves in legal quagmire. In a landmark ruling, Chinese courts sided with Hepburn's son, Luca Dotti, ordering the restaurant to immediately stop using the name "Audrey Hepburn," issue a public apology, and pay 200,000 RMB in compensation.

Hepburn's son sued the restaurant for injunction and compensation. The restaurant contended that Hepburn passed away many years ago, and her personality rights have thus lapsed. Her son does not possess the legal standing to claim such rights. The use of the term "Hepburn" constitutes legitimate use and does not amount to