Taken from: http://omg.yahoo.com/gwen-stefani-sues-forever-21-over-fashion-logo/news/1052

(CLICK HERE to view the lawsuit against Forever 21)

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (July 17, 2007) -- It appears Gwen Stefani doesn't "Heart" Forever 21.

Gwen's Harajuku Lovers fashion line is suing popular retail outlet Forever 21 for trademark infringement, claiming the clothing chain allegedly stole designs from the Harajuku Lovers line, Access Hollywood has learned.

In papers filed in Los Angeles Federal Court, reps for Gwen's Harajuku Lovers claim Forever 21 is marketing, promoting and selling products featuring a design "virtually indistinguishable" from Harajuku's signature heart/box logo.

The lawsuit claims Forever 21 "changed a couple of words in the Heart/Box Trademark, which are inconspicuous and likely to go unnoticed by a consumer."

Specifically, the lawsuit claims Forever 21 used the design but changed the word "Harajuku" to "Forever" and the word "Lovers" to "Love."

As a result of the chain using a similar image, Harajuku has allegedly "suffered and continues to suffer damage to its business reputation."

Gwen launched the accessory line in 2005 to coincide with her Harajuku Lovers Tour.

 

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Here's what I think:
1). How about Asians and Asian-Americans sue Gwen for defamation of character? Those stereotypical, "Harajuku" girls are a disgrace, a minstrel show, and just plain horrible. She practically has them made up in Yellow Face. (Don't tell me "Well, they are getting paid well to do this". Prostitutes are also getting paid, but that doesn't make it right. Maybe if Asians had more fair opportunities in the entertainment industry, they wouldn't feel the need to do this). I could go on and on about this topic. But many others have done so far me already: 
Margaret Cho's Blog Entry 
Several entries about the this on Disgrasian (Disgrasian's Myspace profile lists her as the worst offender).
Salon.com article
The Gwen Stefani Rant! - Livejournal entry (Yes - Caucasians from Europe are upset about this, too!) 
Free The Gwenihana Four 
There are many other articles, blogs, and sites regarding this issue, but you get the point. 


2). Gwen is guilty of ripping off others, making this hypocritical. 
3). Almost every designer gets their ideas stolen.
Maybe if Gwen was ever an actual rude girl or punk in the first place, she would not only be more original, she would sell her clothing more affordably. Then again, she did grow up a rich, spoiled girl  from Orange County and only ever joined a band because her brother, Eric, started the band and wrote most of the lyrics before leaving the band.

 

Original entry: http://cherryteresa.greatestjournal.com/2007/02/05/

This past weekend was a nice one. Friday night, I went to see the fabulous Big in Japan at the Ottobar. They are the type of band that you really go there for the music because it is so good. You don’t just go see them because it’s something to do. But it does also end up being a social event because I’ll see people that I know at the shows. (Lennex is one of those bands for me, too. But they were playing a little too far away on Friday, in Arlington, VA).

Saturday during the day, my friend Adam and I went to Arundel Mills Mall to walk. Last week, we went to Towson Mall and Eastpoint the week before. Yes, that’s right, I have turned into a crazy mall walker. No, but really, it’s a good way to stay motivated during the wintertime. I don’t want to walk in the cold weather, especially the way it’s been the past couple of days. But I want to still exercise. I can’t afford a gym membership and from bad stories I’ve heard, the only gyms I would want to join are the non-chain ones, which I notice cost even more money. (I’m not bashing gyms, I’m just saying they’re not for me. At least not right now, maybe they will be in the future). So walking in the mall solves the problem of not wanting to join a gym but not wanting to walk out in the cold. I wish I‘d thought about this a couple years ago when I lived in a neighborhood where you don’t want to walk outside any time of the year. Oh well. Better late than never.

Saturday night, I went to see Eleven 54 and Ballyhoo! at the Stone Cellar in Ellicott City. (It’s the basement of the Blue Point Grille). The show was really fun and the Stone Cellar is a place I like to visit here and there. If you live in the area, you’ve probably heard of it. But those who don’t venture outside of Baltimore city often for places to hang out might consider it a nice little hidden gem. The crowd seemed to be a nice mix of regulars who go there all the time and those who ventured out solely for the bands.

Sunday, I went to do a photo shoot for Jim Lucio, a.k.a. Defekto. It’s going to be in Gutter Magazine. It wasn’t what I expected, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. He told me he’d have clothes there from Killer Trash but to also bring some of my own. I obviously had no idea of the clothes he wanted me to bring, because none of it was right. Luckily, what he wanted me to wear that he had actually fit me. One of the outfits I wore ended up being these baby blue plastic pants with suspenders with a silver scarf and the type of hat you saw men wear in old movies and some older men still wear today. But I liked the hat. I ended up kind of looking like a 90s raver who took the wrong drugs and tried to look like they were from the 1920s and poor. But the way Jim puts together weird things ends up working somehow. He has visions, and from what I’ve been told and what I’ve seen, you have to just trust it. One of the many things that I like and respect about Jim is his idea of “beauty” or “art”. None of the people he chose to be in the photo shoot looked anything alike at all. They were people of different sizes and shapes and just totally different looks and people with different features. I think a true artist has the ability to see things in a certain way, if that makes sense. Anyway, the other concept he came up with for me to wear is weird! You will probably get a good laugh. And trust me when I say you won’t be able to tell that it’s me when you see the pictures. I’d explain more about what the shoot was like, but really you’ll just find out from the photos when they come out. I will post either the photos or the link to them when the time comes.