Pharrell Williams has filed a $14 million lawsuit against German print-on-demand company Spreadshirt, accusing the online retailer of enabling the production and sale of counterfeit merchandise from his Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM clothing brands.
The legal action, filed in federal court in Cleveland, represents the latest challenge facing fashion brands as they combat digital-age counterfeiting operations, according to Cleveland.com.
Plot Twist
The lawsuit comes as the “Happy” chart-topper simultaneously faces his own intellectual property accusations from COOGI Partners, which claims his Louis Vuitton designs inappropriately borrowed from their iconic knitwear patterns.
The dual legal proceedings highlight the complex intellectual property landscape modern fashion entrepreneurs must navigate to protect their brands while avoiding infringement claims.
Williams’ company, BBC Ice Cream LLC, alleges that Spreadshirt actively participated in counterfeiting operations rather than serving as a neutral platform, AllHipHop.com reports.
The complaint characterizes the German company as deliberately facilitating intellectual property theft while concealing its involvement through sophisticated operational methods.
Williams’ attorney Richard J. Pocker stated that “Spreadshirt’s conduct continues unabated, and the manufacture, publishing, advertising for sale and sales of counterfeit and infringing Products persist.”
The lawsuit reveals extensive details about how print-on-demand technology has enabled sophisticated counterfeiting operations targeting Williams’ brands.
According to the complaint, Spreadshirt allowed customers to submit designs featuring Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM logos, then printed, packaged, and shipped these items while maintaining databases of previously created designs. The company’s business model allegedly incentivized infringement by offering $2 commissions to customers whose designs were purchased by others, creating a marketplace where counterfeit merchandise could generate ongoing revenue streams.
The legal filing details how Spreadshirt, founded in 2002 and claiming status as one of the world’s largest print-on-demand companies, systematically failed to implement adequate safeguards against intellectual property theft despite generating significant revenue from infringing sales. The company allegedly used white-label packaging to conceal its direct involvement in the counterfeiting process, making it difficult for consumers to identify the actual manufacturer of fake merchandise.
Williams’ legal team argues that Spreadshirt’s conduct extends beyond passive platform hosting to active participation in trademark violations. The lawsuit claims the company maintained insufficient tools for reporting trademark violations while continuing to profit from sales of items bearing Williams’ protected logos and designs. This alleged willful blindness has damaged the reputation and exclusivity of Billionaire Boys Club products.
The musician-turned-fashion designer launched Billionaire Boys Club in 2003 with Japanese designer Nigo, quickly establishing the brand as a streetwear staple that blends luxury fashion with skate and hip-hop influences.
The brand’s business evolution took a significant turn in 2016, according to WWD, when Williams and his partners repurchased Iconix Brands Group’s 50 percent stake in BBC Ice Cream LLC, regaining full control of the company. The strategic buyback allowed Williams to maintain complete creative and business control over his fashion empire, which now operates flagship stores in New York and Miami with international presence in Hong Kong and partnerships with major retailers including Nordstrom and Selfridges.
The lawsuit seeks comprehensive relief including injunctive orders to stop Spreadshirt from selling counterfeit merchandise, monetary damages, punitive penalties under federal copyright infringement laws, and attorney fees. Williams’ legal team emphasizes that the success of BBC products has resulted in significant counterfeiting challenges, with print-on-demand technology making unauthorized reproduction easier and more profitable for infringers.
However, Williams now faces accusations from the opposite direction.
COOGI Partners LLC has sued Williams, Nigo, and Louis Vuitton over allegations that their Fall/Winter 2025 collection misappropriated COOGI’s iconic knitwear designs, according to The Fashion Law.
The “Blurred Lines” artist was named as the French fashion house’s men’s designer in 2023.
The lawsuit claims Louis Vuitton’s January 2025 Paris runway show featured garments nearly identical to COOGI’s registered designs, particularly highlighting sweaters described by media as “COOGI-flavored” that allegedly capitalize on COOGI’s three-decade reputation in hip-hop culture.
These parallel legal battles reflect the growing challenges in fashion intellectual property. Williams’ experience shows how successful fashion entrepreneurs must protect their creations from digital-age counterfeiting while also ensuring their own work respects existing IP rights. The cases could set key precedents as courts navigate remix culture, digital reproduction, and the luxury-streetwear crossover.
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