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Ariana Grande is saying “Thank U, Next” to Forever 21. The singer is suing the clothing brand after it used a model that bared a striking resemblance to Grande in an Instagram post. Her lawsuit, which was filed on Monday, claims that Forever 21 used a look-alike model to sway customers into thinking that Grande endorsed the brand and promoted its products.
The post in question draws several similarities to Grande’s “7 Rings” music video and seems to have copied imagery from the popular video, which was set in a pink-tinged house and featured several bejeweled costumes.
The model used in Forever 21's post looks “strikingly similar” to Grande and can be seen wearing an almost identical outfit to the one that the singer rocked in the video. The similarities are palpable in this image shared by Instagram account @dietprada, who put a still of Grande from the music video side-by-side with Forever 21's post.
“The resemblance is uncanny and Forever 21’s intent was clear: to suggest to the viewing public that Ms. Grande endorsed Forever 21, its products, and was affiliated with Forever 21,” the lawsuit said, according to The New York Times.
This isn't the only time Forever 21 has referenced "7 Rings" in its Instagram posts. The brand shared an image of a model wearing a hairpiece with two pink puff balls back in February with a captioned that featured lyrics from the song (“Gee thanks, just bought it”).
In another post, the model wore camouflage capris and pink stilettos, urging users to “swipe up to shop.”
Grande's lawsuit comes days after it was revealed that Forever 21 was preparing to file bankruptcy. The brand's financial struggles are also referenced in the lawsuit, which accuses Forever 21 of using Grande's likeness to boost its social media presence.
“We are hopeful that we will find a mutually agreeable resolution and can continue to work together in the future,” a statement from Forever 21 reads, disputing the allegations.
Do you see the resemblance in Forever 21's post? Do you think that they'll take a serious hit from Ariana's lawsuit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
