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• Meghan Markle’s lifestyle business, now rebranded as ‘As Ever’, has hit legal trouble with both name and logo rights.
• The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has partially denied the brand’s trademark application for apparel over similarities with an existing fast-fashion label.

Inside Meghan Markle’s Rebranding Move

After much speculation, Meghan Markle introduced her lifestyle brand ‘As Ever’ in early 2025. This came after shelving the original name ‘American Riviera Orchard’, which ran into regulatory challenges over its geographic references.

While the name change aimed to create a cleaner path to global trademark protection, it wasn’t entirely smooth sailing.

In July 2023, the USPTO rejected part of the trademark application for ‘As Ever’—specifically in the clothing category. The reason: its similarity to ‘ASEVER’, a Chinese fashion brand registered in overlapping classes. The ruling blocked Meghan’s brand from selling apparel under the name in the U.S.

This rejection is a major blow to the lifestyle label’s expansion plan, given the apparel market’s size and relevance. In 2024 alone, global apparel sales reached over $1.7 trillion, with the U.S. contributing nearly $360 billion.

That’s a segment no lifestyle brand can afford to overlook.

The Logo Controversy You Might Have Missed

The branding hiccups don’t stop with the name.

Critics and media outlets quickly spotted similarities between the ‘As Ever’ logo—a palm tree flanked by two birds—and the coat of arms of Porreres, a town in Mallorca, Spain. The town’s mayor acknowledged the likeness publicly but admitted the municipality lacked the legal budget to take the matter further.

This case spotlights another growing trend in brand law: the use of civic and cultural symbols in modern branding. With the rise of AI image generation and global design teams, logo overlaps are increasingly frequent. Yet they often go unchecked until launch.

For celebrity brands, such overlaps attract faster public scrutiny and legal attention. While the Porreres incident hasn’t resulted in formal action, it adds to the public conversation surrounding the ‘As Ever’ launch.

From ‘American Riviera’ to ‘As Ever’: A Strategic Switch

Initially named ‘American Riviera Orchard’, Meghan Markle’s lifestyle venture leaned heavily into California’s upscale identity. But trademark law views geographic references with caution.

Under U.S. and EU regulations, names based on geographic locations can be hard to protect, especially if similar names exist or if the brand’s name implies a location-based origin.

When ‘American Riviera Orchard’ ran into trademark limitations and duplication risks, the fallback was ‘As Ever’, a phrase Markle had pre-registered in late 2024. It was shorter, more versatile, and intended to cover a wider range of product categories, from preserves to Ì첩ÈüʹÙÍøware and apparel.

But the pivot, though legally strategic, has introduced its complications. For brand strategists, this reaffirms a recurring lesson: pre-emptive IP strategy must go hand in hand with consumer storytelling.

The First Product: A Jar of Jam

In March 2025, ‘‘ sent out its first official product—a jar of strawberry jam.

Only a few dozen jars were distributed. Recipients included influencers, close friends, and media figures. Some shared photos online, prompting speculation about future product lines.

Early reactions focused on presentation: hand-labelled jars with linen covers and wax seals. The message: curated luxury tied to personal storytelling. All of this coincided with Markle’s new Netflix docuseries “With Love, Meghan”, airing around the same time. It’s a classic cross-platform brand launch strategy—content drives product, and product amplifies content.

What’s next? Reports suggest scented candles, marmalades, kitchen items, and potentially dinnerware may follow. Still, there’s no clear timeline on mass market distribution.

While the launch may appear limited, it points to a brand positioning itself in the premium gifting and culinary lifestyle category—an area that has grown by 11% in the last two years alone. Global demand for artisanal food products is expected to surpass £120 billion by 2027.

The Numbers Behind Lifestyle Branding

Lifestyle as a category is booming.

By 2025, global lifestyle brand revenues—including Ì첩ÈüʹÙÍøwares, preserves, self-care, and casual fashion—are projected to exceed £1.2 trillion.

Of that, celebrity-led brands account for an estimated 8�10% of annual growth in digital retail categories. Whether it’s Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop or Rihanna’s Fenty, the space is getting competitive.

Yet fewer than 30% of celebrity lifestyle ventures achieve sustainable growth beyond year three. The reasons are often linked to operational gaps and legal missteps, especially with trademarks and supply chain logistics.

As marketplaces like TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping, and Amazon Luxury Stores evolve, they present both new opportunities and new risks. Product discoverability may be high, but IP enforcement remains patchy across platforms. For a brand like ‘As Ever’, which trades on aesthetic coherence and identity, such inconsistencies can either dilute or amplify brand value depending on execution.

As Ever: The Road Ahead

Despite the early hurdles, Meghan Markle’s brand still carries visibility.

Name and logo issues aside, the controlled, media-driven launch means the brand has gathered attention. Early influencer feedback is mixed—some question its niche appeal, while others point to its potential in premium lifestyle categories.

Whether the brand pivots around apparel or re-applies with a new name for clothing remains unknown. One route might be licensing the brand name only for non-apparel categories and launching a sub-label for fashion.

There’s precedent. When Apple faced similar trademark issues in 2007 over ‘iPhone’, it settled with Cisco and co-existed.

Markle’s team may adopt a similar tactic.

The next 12 months will be crucial. Will the brand expand its SKU list? Will it pursue licensing in international markets less restricted by U.S. IP law? Will partnerships emerge with boutique retailers or direct-to-consumer platforms? These paths are all open.

Brand strategists will also be watching the impact of Meghan’s brand equity on product trust. A 2023 YouGov survey placed Markle’s global familiarity at over 75%, but trust metrics varied significantly by regionâ€�47% in the UK, 62% in North America, and less than 35% in parts of Asia and Europe. These numbers will affect how quickly a brand like ‘As Ever’ can scale.