American rapper Eminem has initiated legal proceedings against the Australian-based beachwear brand Swim Shady. The famous rapper argues that the brand name is “too similar” to his registered stage name “Slim Shady.”
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall B. Mathers III, filed a request with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in September to cancel the trademark granted to Swim Shady. Under U.S. law, the company is required to respond to this application next week. The rapper’s lawyers claimed the Sydney-based trademark created a “misleading link.” The company told the BBC that it would “defend its valuable intellectual property.” According to the Australian Trade Register, the trademark was first registered in 2023 under the name “Slim Shade” and officially launched in 2024. Its product range includes portable beach umbrellas, bags, and other beach accessories. The trademark also applied for and received approval for “Swim Shady” in the US this year. However, Eminem’s team soon filed a petition to have this registration cancelled. The rapper also objected to the use of the brand in Australia. Eminem registered the name “Slim Shady” in the US in 1999, but only filed a trademark application in Australia in January 2025. According to the artist’s lawyers, the name is a distinctive and famous trademark “synonymous with” his rap career. Swim Shady is represented legally by Sydney-based Meyer West IP. Last year, Australian courts overturned a previous ruling that US pop star Katy Perry had infringed on the trademark of Australian designer Katie Perry. The designer claimed that the famous singer infringed on his rights by selling products under his own name during her 2014 tour.
