Influencers Alyssa Sheil and Sydney Nicole Gifford’s legal battle is coming to an end.
As previously reported by Passionfruit, both influencers are known for their minimalist, ‘clean-girl’ aesthetic, which includes a lot of cream, white, and beige both in terms of fashion and interiors. However, recently, Gifford and her team of lawyers accused Sheil of imitating her aesthetic. As part of the suit, Gifford sought financial compensation for “mental distress” and for a lost Amazon commission.
Six months on, the pair have asked the judge to dismiss the suit. But that doesn’t mean that there’s been a resolution. In a lawyers’ statement to The Verge, Sheil said: “I could have caved to Ms. Gifford’s demands, but this was a much larger fight and sets a precedent that young minority entrepreneurs will not allow ourselves to be bullied.”
“Ms. Gifford attempted to intimidate me into leaving this industry,” she added. “She failed miserably as the truth has prevailed today.”
Meanwhile, Gifford said in a now-deleted TikTok that she has decided to “walk away” from the lawsuit because of the time and money she’d have to invest. One of her lawyers added in a statement to The Verge that “settling this case allows [Gifford] to prioritize what matters most to her, so that to me is a win. And the court of public opinion can ultimately decide who was right and wrong here.”
While it never ended up setting a precedent, this case remains important to the creator economy as it asks a crucial question: can you really own a certain aesthetic? Nonetheless, we’re sure that this case will influence (pun intended) others in the future — and if all parties decide to see it through, who knows what could happen?
