Kai Trump’s logo for her new clothing label has sparked debate on social media for its similarities to the one that is being used for Travis Kelce’s collection with American Eagle.
The college golfer and the NFL tight end each use variations of an overlapping “K” and “T” for their labels. Asked if American Eagle or Travis Kelce would be commenting regarding the claims that Trump’s logo copies his, an American Eagle spokesperson said, “We will not be commenting on this.”
Media requests to Trump’s company were unreturned.
The Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University’s founder Susan Scafidi said Friday, “Although it can be challenging to claim ownership of a mere letter or a pair of letters in a crowded field of similar logos, the resemblance between the stylized ‘TK’ and ’KT’ logos could give rise to a trademark kerfuffle. Neither Trump nor Kelce appears to have registered their respective overlapping initials with the U.S. Trademark Office, but the similarities of position and font leave open the possibility of a common law claim.”
Duke University law professor Christopher Buccafusco said Friday that the two logos don’t seem all that similar as a matter of trademark law. “The initials themselves are generic, of course, and can’t be claimed by a single individual. And their interlocking nature is a standard form of creating monograms. Consider the logos for YSL [Yves Saint Laurent], the New York Yankees, or the Los Angeles Dodgers.”
Buccafusco said the logos have different serifs and Trump’s logo has the bottom portion of the “T” disappear behind the “K.”
The University of Miami freshman and Kelce have another point of connection beyond their initials. Both athletes endorse Accelerator Active Energy, as does the “Sports Illustrated” swimwear model and former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne. Trump’s eldest granddaughter also has an endorsement deal with TaylorMade,…
