FKA Twigs has scored a legal victory in her ongoing trademark infringement battle with an indie band named The Twigs.
U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff has ruled that FKA Twigs, real name Tahliah Barnett, cannot be sued for infringing the trademark “The Twigs” because the band’s members, twin sisters Laura and Linda Good, forfeited their right by letting their claims “lie fallow” for years.
The Twigs, who have owned their trademark since 1996, first sued the Cellophane singer for infringement in 2014 but ultimately dropped their lawsuit after losing an initial injunction request. After being quiet for a decade, they started sending FKA Twigs cease-and-desist letters threatening legal action in 2024.
In his ruling, obtained by Billboard, Judge Rakoff wrote, “The Goods were aware of Barnett’s allegedly infringing activity as early as 2013 when the parties exchanged emails, and certainly no later than 2014 when the Goods sued Barnett alleging trademark infringement.
“After the Goods dismissed their suit, Barnett continued releasing music under the name ‘FKA twigs.’ Yet the Goods did not take any action until 2024 and did not bring the instant claims until 2026. In other words, the Goods let their claims lie fallow for at least a decade.”
He dismissed the infringement claims filed in May by The Twigs, ruling that the evidence doesn’t support their claim that Barnett “intended to promote confusion” between the two music artists.
However, the legal battle is not yet over, as a dispute remains over the singer’s trademark application for “FKA Twigs”. She wants The Twigs to stop interfering in that registration process.
Judge Rakoff ruled that both legal teams must conduct evidence discovery before he can reach a verdict on that issue.
