Meghan Markle has received months of backlash over the name of her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard. Now, she’s finally backed down and changed it.
Meghan Rebrands American Riviera Orchard
Meghan, 43, took to Instagram on Tuesday to post a video in which she revealed that her lifestyle brand will henceforth be known by the name “As Ever.”
That’s quite the change from “American Riviera Orchard”.
“The cat’s out of the bag,” Meghan said in the video. The footage appears to have been filmed in her backyard in Montecito, California.
“I’m shocked we’ve kept this a secret for so long,” Meghan continued. “In two weeks my show is coming out, which I’m so excited for. And also my business, which I think there has been a lot of curiosity about.”
She’s definitely right about the curiosity – however morbid it may be for most.
“Last year, I had thought, ‘American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name,'” she added. “It’s my neighborhood… it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara, but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area.”
“Then Netflix came on, not just as my partner in the show, but as my partner in my business, which was huge,” Meghan explained. “So I thought about it, and I’ve been waiting for a moment to share a name that I had secured in 2022, and this is the moment, and it’s called As Ever.”
Check out Meghan’s full video on this below.
American Riviera Controversy
Meghan announced American Riviera Orchard in March of last year. In September of 2024, however, she was hit with a setback when her application for American Riviera Orchard was rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). In issuing this rejection, the USPTO warned that businesses cannot trademark geographical locations.
Things only got worse for Meghan when the rival lifestyle brand Harry & David then filed a protest. In it, that brand alleged that the name “American Riviera Orchard” was too similar to its “Royal Riviera” product line.
However dubious that claim may be, it apparently worked.
It seems that after these setbacks, Meghan decided to ditch the name altogether and go with something different.
Meghan In Trouble Over New Name
Unfortunately for Meghan, however, she’s already running into trouble with this new name. A small New York-based vintage clothing company that goes by the name As Ever is firing back about Meghan’s rebrand.
“Wow and hello,” Mark Kolski, the company’s founder, wrote on Instagram. “I want to say thank you to all the old friends who know and love our small family brand As Ever, and also say hi to all those that have just become aware we exist.”
“In the last 36 hours there has been an outpouring of support and concern regarding recent events around our namesake brand,” the statement continued. “We are aware. We are not affiliated.”
Related: Meghan Markle Hit With More Bad News As Yet Another Comeback Project Is Delayed Again
Kolski Doubles Down
Kolski went on to explain that while he officially launched his business in 2017, he’s been working on it since 2015. He lamented to The Sun that he feels powerless to legally challenge Meghan for using the name As Ever. However, Kolski is currently “exploring all possibilities” when it comes to how to respond.
“I’m a very small business, it’s a family-run operation. I’m essentially a one-man band,” he stated. “This new venture has the power and money of Netflix behind it.”
“Even if I wanted to do something I don’t think I have the behemoth of lawyers and money that are behind this,” he added.
Kolski has admitted that he never trademarked the name As Ever. However, since he’s been using the name for the past eight years, he believes he has common law right to it.
It seems that Meghan can’t catch a break when it comes to launching her lifestyle brand. Only time will tell if this “As Ever” name actually sticks!
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