Pharrell Williams is taking legal action against print-on-demand company Spreadshirt, accusing it of selling fake Billionaire Boys Club clothing and profiting off his brand’s identity.
The lawsuit, filed by Williams’ company, BBC Ice Cream LLC, seeks $14 million in damages and a court order to stop the alleged infringement.
The complaint claims Spreadshirt enabled unauthorized sellers to upload and sell counterfeit BBC items, then printed, packaged and shipped them while concealing its role in the process.
“[Spreadshirt’s] conduct continues unabated, and the manufacture, publishing, advertising for sale and sales of counterfeit and infringing Products persist. BBC brings this action to put a stop to this ongoing unlawful conduct and to hold [Spreadshirt] accountable for their actions,” Pharrell Williams’ attorney Richard J. Pocker said.
The suit argues that Spreadshirt is not a neutral platform but an active participant in the counterfeiting operation. It accuses the company of failing to implement safeguards to prevent intellectual property theft despite generating significant revenue from the sales.
According to the complaint, Spreadshirt utilized “white-label” packaging to conceal its involvement and provided minimal tools for reporting trademark violations. BBC claims this behavior has misled customers and harmed the brand’s reputation.
The lawsuit also alleges that Spreadshirt violated federal trademark laws, including counterfeiting, trademark dilution and false designation of origin. BBC is asking for injunctive relief, punitive and compensatory damages, and attorney fees.
Founded in 2003 by Pharrell Williams and Japanese designer Nigo, Billionaire Boys Club quickly became a staple in streetwear culture. The brand blends luxury fashion with skate and Hip-Hop influences, and includes sublabels like ICECREAM and Billionaire Girls Club.
BBC operates flagship stores in New York and Miami, with an international presence in Hong Kong and retail partnerships with Nordstrom, END, Ssense and Selfridges.
Its designs have appeared in music videos for Williams’ “Happy” and Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot.”
The brand has also collaborated with the New York Yankees and designer Jeff Hamilton for NBA All-Star Weekend merchandise.
In 2024, the BBC was prominently featured in the LEGO-produced biographical documentary “Piece by Piece,” which chronicled Pharrell’s life and career.