Victoria Beckham in trademarks battle with Aussie skincare company

Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham is taking a Sydney-based skincare company to court, claiming its marketing using the letters VB is purposely attempting to “deceive” consumers.

Victoria Beckham is taking a Sydney-based skincare company to court after she unsuccessfully blocked it from registering trademarks using the letters “VB”.

Homebush West-based VB Skinlab is seeking to register the trademarks “VB Salon” and “VB Skinlab” in Australia for marketing its products and services.

But Beckham, whose self-titled luxury fashion label and Estée Lauder cosmetics line is marketed with her initials, has argued that consumers would be confused into thinking she is a sponsor of the company.

Beckham claimed the Sydney company was attempting to falsely associate her with its products, bringing to light the use of a dark-haired model on the company’s website, and pointing out she has “extensively used and promoted the VB word mark in Australia and overseas in relation to various beauty and fashion related goods, including cosmetics”.

Victoria Beckham has argued the use of the letters ‘VB’ would confuse consumers into thinking she’d endorsed the company’s products. Picture: AFP.

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Beckham’s attempt to oppose the registration of VB Skinlab’s trademarks was knocked back last month, The Sydney Morning Herald reports, with intellectual property rights agency IP Australia outlining it was “not satisfied that any confusion” would arise as a result of the letter-use.

The government agency described Beckham as “an individual from the United Kingdom who is a well-known figure in the fields of music (being a former member of the Spice Girls) and fashion”.

It also said it was “unpersuaded” that using “an attractive female model with long dark hair” on its website was “in any way a reference” to the star.

“Furthermore, the mere fact that a cosmetics company has used an attractive female model with long dark hair in connection with their products is hardly a basis to assert bad faith,” the decision said, ordering the star to pay the company’s legal costs.

Beckham has lodged an appeal in the Federal Circuit Court, with her lawyers arguing the company was aware of Beckham's use of the VB trademark.

They said the company “intended to benefit from falsely representing to consumers that it was associated with (her)”.

A preliminary hearing will take place in the Federal Circuit Court on Wednesday.