Lingerie company charged with using Marilyn Monroe’s likeness without permission.
Marilyn Monroe’s estate is charged with protecting one of the most valuable images of a celebrity and is charging a lingerie company with using her image in its packaging and tags to sell its product, according to TMZ in "Marilyn Monroe Estate Sues Lingerie Line … Keep This Blondie Out of Your Panties."
The estate is requesting that it be paid for past sales, that all future sales be stopped and that all remaining inventory be destroyed.
From the currently known information concerning this lawsuit this appears to be a simple case. If a celebrity's image is used without permission to sell a product, then the rights holder to that image is owed royalties for the sales and can block future sales.
However, it is not certain why the lingerie company thought it could use Monroe's image. If they had reason to believe the estate gave them permission, then they might have a good defense to the lawsuit.
One thing can be learned from this: celebrities should make sure their likenesses are properly handled in their estate plans.
Reference: TMZ (Nov. 10, 2016) "Marilyn Monroe Estate Sues Lingerie Line … Keep This Blondie Out of Your Panties