The well-known Beverly Hills Hotel is in a legal conflict with the boutique store Kitson regarding trademark issues, and the store’s owner seems far from willing to concede.
The hotel, often referred to as the Pink Palace, claims that Kitson has been using a style that mimics their “protected stylized lettering” for products sold at a location not too far from the hotel itself.
This hotel is famous for its distinctive branding, featuring its banana leaf wallpaper and a signature pink and green color scheme.
Instead of bowing to pressure after receiving legal threats from the luxurious hotel, Kitson’s owner, Fraser Ross, chose a more confrontational route, reportedly engaging with the hotel’s legal team directly before filing a counterclaim.
“We will sell you a product that uses the font you are concerned about and change it to a different font,” Ross noted in a September 2023 email, as cited in the complaint. “There are many fonts that contain the words Beverly Hills.”
Reportedly, Ross had just opened a large Beverly Hills flagship store and was “full of inventory,” leading him to inquire whether the hotel would allow Kitson to sell its merchandise directly.
“I saw that font everywhere,” Ross said, suggesting that numerous local businesses were using similar styles without any issues.
Upon viewing Kitson’s store, it’s understandable why the hotel might feel agitated. The boutique features banana leaf wallpaper that closely resembles that found in some areas of the hotel.
The conflict began in August 2023 when the hotel discovered products at Kitson with “Beverly Hills” written in a style that seemed to imitate the hotel’s signature cursive. The hotel argued that such products could mislead shoppers into thinking they were affiliated with the hotel.
Yet, Ross insists confusion is not a factor at all.
“I never said Beverly Hills Hotel,” he told the publication.
He also claimed that Kitson complied by moving the disputed items out of sight, but still faced a lawsuit. “It sat there for two and a half years,” he estimated, with an original cost of about $30,000.
According to Ross, after some negotiations, the hotel proposed a settlement that required Kitson to pay $7,500. “How do you know I owe you $7,500?” he questioned.
Later, his insurance began to cover the costs associated with the legal battle.
Kitson didn’t stop with just defending itself; the boutique launched a counter-lawsuit, claiming that the hotel was monopolizing the term “Beverly Hills” and using it unfairly against local businesses.
In the legal documents, Ross argues that “Beverly Hills” is a geographic name that cannot be exclusively owned and that shoppers purchase Beverly Hills-themed items to showcase the city, rather than believing that the high-end hotel had created the merchandise.
Kitson’s legal team cited various instances from pop culture, indicating that the use of “Beverly Hills” exists beyond just the hotel name.
They also pointed out that the iconic cursive script is widespread, observed in many businesses and landmarks without repercussions.
After a second mediation, Ross indicated that an undisclosed settlement was offered by the hotel, but it required Kitson to issue an apology, which he declined, seeking more than just a monetary resolution.
The Beverly Hills Hotel has not provided any comments on the lawsuit.
Ross suspects that the legal action is ultimately designed to protect the hotel’s luxury gift market from its lower-priced competitors. Consequently, he has made his stance known, displaying signs in his stores stating, “If you choose to stay at the Beverly Hills Hotel or dine at the Polo Lounge, please do not patronize us.”
