Kim Kardashian is facing a new lawsuit after allegedly making false claims about furniture displayed in her SKKN by Kim office. She referred to the tables in question as being designed by the late minimalist artist Donald Judd, which according to the nonprofit foundation that represents Judd’s legacy, was not the case. The organization is suing Kardashian for making false claims, stating that consumers may believe the Judd Foundation is affiliated with her. The lawsuit also names Clements Design, who is accused of trademark and copyright infringement for allegedly designing a dining set that mimics Judd’s work.
The Judd Foundation claims that they contacted Kardashian after the original office tour was uploaded to YouTube and offered to update the video caption with a retraction. However, the foundation wanted the video deleted and for Kardashian to issue a public statement. The dispute between the parties is now headed to court, with Judd’s table being a rare and expensive piece that has only had three authentic copies sold in the last 15 years. Clements Design stated that they communicated with the Judd Foundation’s counsel and pointed out the key differences between the tables in Kardashian’s office and Judd Foundation’s tables, but were blindsided by the lawsuit.
A report from The New York Times shared a statement from lawyer John Ulin written to the Judd Foundation, stating that Clements Design did not commission imitation Donald Judd tables, but rather tables with different designs. The Judd Foundation reportedly obtained an invoice from Clements Designs describing the furniture as being made “in the style of Donald Judd,” with a picture of Judd’s original dining set included. A lawyer for the Judd Foundation emphasized that the furniture in Kardashian’s office was of lower quality than Judd’s, and they wanted to avoid being associated with her while still respecting her work.
While Kardashian has yet to comment on the situation, the statements from both the Judd Foundation and Clements Design stand by their respective positions. The dispute over the furniture in Kardashian’s office has been ongoing for over a year, with attempts made to resolve the issue amicably without success. The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California highlights the disagreements between the parties over the alleged false claims made by Kardashian regarding the Donald Judd tables and the alleged infringement of Judd’s copyright and trademark by Clements Design. It remains to be seen how the court will ultimately resolve this legal matter.
