Kate sued over hair products
2008-08-27 07:52
Alex Dobuzinskis
Los Angeles - Fool's Gold star
Kate Hudson has been sued by a firm that says hair care
products she developed with hair stylist-to-the-stars David
Babaii are based on ideas for using volcanic ash that the firm
developed.
But Hudson, 29, and Babaii on Tuesday said through
representatives the lawsuit, which was filed by a California
corporation called 220 Laboratories Inc, is "without merit".
Hudson and Babaii are partners in the company David Babaii
for WildAid, a hair care products company that donates 10% of profits to WildAid, a wildlife conservation group.
In the lawsuit, which was filed on Friday in Los Angeles
Superior Court, 220 Laboratories said it entered into an "oral
contract" with Babaii to develop and manufacture hair care
products in 2006.
The idea for the product was to use volcanic
ash from the Vanuatu Islands of the South Pacific.
But Babaii went on to use a company called Universal
Packaging Systems Inc to develop the products - using the
volcanic ash component.
'Claims are baseless'
Hudson promoted the product in a 2007
interview with Vogue magazine and said she was one of the
developers, the lawsuit states.
Brad Cafarelli, a spokesperson for Hudson, said in an e-mail
that the claims by 220 Laboratories are baseless.
"Kate does not know the plaintiffs and has never met with
them or spoken with them," Cafarelli said.
In its lawsuit, 220 Laboratories' allegations against
Hudson, Babaii and Universal included misappropriation of trade
secrets, fraud and breach of contract.
The company is seeking
an injunction to block David Babaii for WildAid from using its
"trade secrets" in the sale of hair care products.
The company said it also seeks damages in an amount to be
proven at trial.
Hudson is the daughter of Oscar-winning actress Goldie
Hawn.
She has appeared in the movies You, Me and Dupree, Almost Famous and Fool's Gold.
- Reuters