From Hailey Bieber’s Rhode to Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, celebrity-led beauty and skincare brands are no longer just product lines—they’re high-growth, IP-rich companies increasingly targeted for mergers, acquisitions, or strategic licensing deals by industry giants like LVMH, L’Oréal, and Estée Lauder. Behind every glossy launch and viral product drop lies a more critical foundation: the celebrity beauty brand IP that anchors brand value, protects product identity, and makes buyout offers possible.
For tech startup founders, brand managers, and celebrity talent entering this space, understanding how to structure intellectual property from day one can determine whether a brand is simply trending or truly acquirable. In 2025, the market is filled with celebrity brands—but only those with clean, well-managed IP portfolios are closing nine-figure deals.
Why Celebrity Beauty Brand IP Is the Heart of Valuation
In the context of mergers and acquisitions, IP is not just a supporting asset—it is often the deal. For a celebrity beauty brand, the intellectual property includes registered trademarks for the brand name, logo, and product lines, as well as potential design patents, packaging trade dress, social media handles, and even proprietary formulas or fragrance blends. Without these assets properly secured, a prospective acquirer cannot enforce the brand in global markets, cannot scale without litigation risk, and cannot be certain it owns what it’s paying for.
A recent example includes Rhode by Hailey Bieber, which faced a trademark lawsuit early in its lifecycle from a fashion brand of the same name. That litigation was eventually resolved, reportedly through a negotiated coexistence or brand division. While the dispute was settled, it underscores how vulnerable a high-profile launch can be without a clean trademark strategy. Now that Rhode is rumored to be in discussions for a potential acquisition or partnership with major beauty houses, the value of its celebrity beauty brand IP is back in the spotlight. It serves as a reminder that even the most marketable name must be legally defensible to be commercially valuable.
How Trademarks and Licensing Structure Celebrity Beauty Brand IP
The cornerstone of celebrity beauty brand IP is the trademark. A federally registered trademark for the brand name is critical, but it’s only the beginning. The brand should also protect product names, slogans, limited edition releases, and potentially product packaging through trade dress. These registrations not only allow the brand to prevent copycats but also become monetizable in licensing deals.
For celebrity founders, the legal relationship between the individual and the brand must be structured with long-term flexibility. In some cases, celebrities assign their publicity rights (name, likeness, image) to the company. In others, they license those rights through long-term brand agreements, allowing them to retain ownership while still creating scalable enterprises. This licensing arrangement, when done correctly, allows acquirers to step in and run operations, manufacturing, and distribution while continuing to use the celebrity’s image, social presence, and endorsements—creating enormous value while preserving clarity over who owns what.
At L.A. Tech and Media Law Firm, we routinely advise celebrity entrepreneurs and brand operators on how to structure these arrangements. We ensure that brand names are clear of prior conflicts, file the appropriate class designations under the USPTO, and help founders maintain enforceability across marketplaces like Sephora, Amazon, and global DTC platforms. Learn more about our trademark and brand licensing strategies on our website.
Positioning Celebrity Beauty Brands for Acquisition or Investment
To attract serious buyers or investors, a celebrity beauty brand must show a clean chain of title to all IP assets. That means no unresolved trademark oppositions, no copycat brand disputes, and all social handles, domains, and product rights secured under the company’s legal name—not the founder’s personal LLC. For brands looking at global scale, international filings under the Madrid Protocol become critical, especially in beauty-centric markets like the EU, South Korea, and the UAE.
More importantly, acquirers will examine whether the brand’s image is separable from the celebrity, or whether it relies entirely on the founder’s daily involvement. That’s where IP strategy intersects with brand architecture. A well-positioned celebrity beauty brand IP portfolio will show that the name, packaging, and product lines are independently enforceable—even if the celebrity steps back operationally post-acquisition.
This has been a defining strategy for deals like Rihanna’s Fenty partnership with LVMH, where the brand name, licensing structure, and product IP were clearly delineated, allowing LVMH to drive scale while retaining Rihanna’s image and creative influence. Similar structures are emerging in the wake of Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty success and Kylie Jenner’s majority stake sale to Coty. The common denominator? Strong, proactive IP strategy from the beginning.
At L.A. Tech and Media Law Firm, we consult celebrity founders, creative directors, and brand operators build legally protected, investment-ready companies in beauty, fashion, and lifestyle markets. From naming and clearance to trademark filing, licensing, and international brand protection, we design frameworks that support long-term growth and market leverage.
David Nima Sharifi, Esq., founder of the firm, is a nationally recognized trademark and technology attorney who advises high-profile founders on brand protection and intellectual property law. Featured in the Wall Street Journal and named among the Top 30 New Media and E-Commerce Attorneys by the Los Angeles Business Journal, David brings strategic insight and legal precision to every deal.
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