Kylie Minogue insists legal battle with Kylie Jenner over trademark name ‘had to be done’

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Kylie Minogue, 54, has been in the entertainment business for decades, but younger rival Kylie Jenner, who, at 24, is less than half her age, attempted to trademark the first name that they share for her brand. Minogue’s 2017 battle against the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star ended in success – and she has now spoken out on the experience.

I’ve spent a lifetime protecting my brand

Kylie Minogue

The Can’t Get You Out of My Head singer insisted there was no animosity, explaining that the decision to take Jenner on in court was “just business”.

Both women had cosmetics ranges they wanted to promote, and both were keen on using their first name for them.

The youngest Kardashian star, daughter of momager Kris Jenner and transgender former athlete Caitlyn Jenner, was listed by Forbes as a billionaire in 2020.

However, according to Minogue’s lawyers, she was a “secondary reality TV personality” who didn’t hold the rights to the name Kylie.

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On the USA TV show Watch What Happens Live, she told host Andy Cohen that she had an uncommon name which needed protection.

“When I was named Kylie, I think I met one person older than me called Kylie,” she explained, “so it’s kind of unusual.

“I’ve spent a lifetime protecting my brand and building my brand so it was just something that had to be done.”

Andy high-fived the singer, who sprung to fame after starring in Australian soap Neighbours, and agreed.

Branding herself as the original Kylie, after signing with a record label back in 1987 – a decade before her Kardashian rival had been born – she was determined to stake her claim.

Documents filed by her lawyers described her as an “internationally-renowned performing artist, humanitarian and breast cancer activist known worldwide simply as ‘Kylie’.”

They suggested that she was the only one entitled to brand herself with the name, as she had already been using it to sell clothes, furniture and a fragrance collection.

“Oh my god. Did you have to call Kris Jenner and be like ‘Let me tell you something’?” joked Andy.

Kylie laughed his comments off, although she revealed that she would “love to” meet the reality star family.

It has been reported that Jenner attempted to appeal the decision made by the Patent Office.

However, as things stand, only Minogue has the legal right to it.

She previously addressed the issue on The Project, admitting that she had been “upset” when she heard about Jenner’s challenge.

Interviewer Lisa Wilkinson told her that Australia was “genuinely outraged when [they] heard she was trying to own the name Kylie worldwide”.

However Minogue played it down, simply describing the incident as “a bother”.

“I didn’t want there to be any (trouble) about it, so everything was taken care of … very nicely, I have to say,” she added.

She also insisted that references to Kylie as a “secondary” personality were simply “lawyer speak” and not something she’d ever say personally, adding: “That certainly did not come from me.”

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