Meghan Markle’s ‘As Ever’ sparks logo and brand name controversy

Meghan Markle is once again at the center of controversy after unveiling the new name and logo for her rebranded lifestyle venture, As Ever. On February 18, the Duchess of Sussex announced the rebranding of her lifestyle venture previously known as American Riviera Orchard to As Ever and dropped a coordinating crest on its new website.

The name has drawn criticism for allegedly being identical to a small, New York-based vintage clothing company, while the logo closely resembles the emblem of the Spanish town of Porrers. 

The founder of the As Ever clothing brand, Mark Kolski, noted that his family-run business, established in 2017, has no connection to Markle’s venture. His statement (below) emphasises that while he lacks the legal resources to challenge the Duchess’s Netflix-backed brand, he holds common law rights to the name and has no intention of changing it.

Please see below, statement from the owner of As Ever NYC.

This is a heartbreaking statement. Please share with all news outlet so they can see how unconscionable and vile Meghan Markle has hurt someone’s business by STEALING their likeness. pic.twitter.com/YfZAEBTlCP

 

— Queer Lips of Truth II (@QLoTII) February 19, 2025

Meanwhile, Porrers’ mayoress, Xisca Mora, expressed disapproval over Markle’s use of their town’s heraldic coat of arms, which dates back to 1370. She pointed out that the logo is nearly identical, aside from minor alterations. “We don’t like our cultural heritage being used this way, and we want them to stop using the logo,” she said, adding that the town lacks the resources to pursue legal action. 
 

(L) Markle's logo for her rebranded As Ever luxury firm and (R) the coat of arms for the sleepy Mallorca town of Porreres 

For the royal family, the logo incorporates elements with personal significance. The palm tree symbolises Santa Barbara, where Markle and Prince Harry reside with their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3. The hummingbirds are also meaningful, having been referenced in Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare.

Brand and culture expert Nick Ede also weighed in on the controversy, telling The Sun that the branding similarities could lead to further problems for Markle’s team. “It looks like it’s been copied rather than a whole new brand identity created. This may create copyright issues and a further headache for Meghan and her team,” Ede said.