Taylor Swift Sued Over a Number

13 isn't so lucky for her now, apparently
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted May 21, 2014 9:40 AM CDT
Taylor Swift Sued Over a Number
Taylor Swift arrives at the 49th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 6, 2014, in Las Vegas.   (Photo by Al Powers/Powers Imagery/Invision/AP)

Taylor Swift loves the number 13, but that love may end up costing her. Blue Sphere Inc., a California clothing company, says it has had "Lucky 13" trademarked for 20 years—it uses it on its line of vintage-themed gear—but in 2012, Swift started putting the phrase on her official merchandise. Now Blue Sphere is suing the singer for trademark infringement, AFP reports. It wants punitive damages, recovery of lost profits, and legal fees—and for Swift to be banned from using the term on her merch.

Swift says 13, which appears on everything from the fuselage of her private jet to her Twitter handle, is her lucky number. "I paint this on my hand before every show," she told MTV in 2009. "Basically, whenever a 13 comes up in my life, it’s a good thing." An interesting tidbit from the lawsuit picked up by TMZ: Lucky 13 owner Robert Kloetzly points out that Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" video "depicts stylish, attractive, tattooed individuals in provocative situations," which is basically the same demographic he targets—meaning her selling "Lucky 13" merch could confuse the market. (More Taylor Swift stories.)

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