Meghan Markle Under Fire Again: NYC Brand Calls Out Duchess Over Name Hijack

Another day, another Meghan Markle controversy. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has found herself at the center of a branding dispute after renaming her latest business venture “As Ever”—a name already used by a small, independent New York clothing company.

The move has left Mark Kolski, the founder of the original As Ever brand, frustrated and fighting for recognition. Kolski’s brand, a family-run vintage clothing business, has been in operation since 2017, though the idea dates back to 2015. Now, he says he feels powerless against Markle’s well-funded enterprise, backed by Netflix.

Small Business vs. Hollywood Powerhouse

“Wow and hello,” Kolski wrote in an Instagram post, addressing the sudden storm of attention. “I want to thank all the old friends who know and love our small family brand As Ever and also say hi to all those just becoming aware we exist.”

Over the next 36 hours, an outpouring of support flooded his social media. Customers and small-business advocates expressed concern over the potential erasure of Kolski’s brand. While he does not hold a trademark on the name, he argues that he has “common law rights” after nearly a decade of use.

“I’m essentially a one-man band,” Kolski told The Sun. “This new venture has the power and money of Netflix behind it. Even if I wanted to take action, I don’t have the behemoth of lawyers and money that are backing this.”

Despite the uphill battle, Kolski remains defiant. “We will continue As Ever,” he vowed.

Markle’s Branding Blunders Continue

This is not the first time Markle has faced branding trouble. Just last year, her attempt to trademark “American Riviera Orchard” hit a wall when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected the application, citing restrictions on geographical names.

Markle addressed the change in an Instagram video earlier this week. “Last year, I thought, ‘American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name.’ But it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area,” she explained. “Then Netflix came on—not just as my partner in the show, but as my partner in my business. That was huge. So I thought about it, and I had secured a name back in 2022. This is the moment, and it’s called As Ever.”

That revelation did little to comfort Kolski, whose brand operates under the Instagram handle @asevernyc. Meanwhile, Markle’s venture, @aseverofficial, already boasts more than 642,000 followers.

Plagiarism Allegations Pile Up

The controversy doesn’t stop with the name. The logo for Markle’s new business—featuring a palm tree and two hummingbirds—has sparked accusations of plagiarism from officials in the Spanish town of Porreres, Mallorca.

Mayor Xisca Mora told the local paper Ara Balears that the design bears an uncanny resemblance to the town’s coat of arms. “The similarities are surreal,” Mora said, adding that the town hall is considering legal action.

For now, Markle remains silent on both the branding dispute with Kolski and the plagiarism allegations from Spain. But as the backlash grows, the question remains: is this yet another misstep in her post-royal career?