Slim Shady vs Swim Shady – Eminem drags Australian brand to court over ‘false association’

Eminem is taking an Australian beachwear brand to court. The reason? He said the brand Swim Shady has a name too similar to his trademarked rap pseudonym Slim Shady, creating a ‘false association’ with the singer.

The US rapper – in September – filed a petition to the US Patent and Trademark Office, calling for it to cancel a trademark that was granted to the Sydney-based company, mentioned a report by BBC.

Going by the US law, the Australian brand is required to respond to the petition by next week.

What did Eminem’s lawyers say?

The 53-year-old rapper’s legal team has argued that Swim Shady creates a “false association” with Eminem, whose Slim Shady persona has been globally recognised for decades. The company, however, told the BBC it plans to “defend our valuable intellectual property”.

What did the Australian company say?

In a statement to BBC, Swim Shady said it would “defend” their “valuable intellectual property”.

The Australian company further claimed that Swim Shady is a grassroots Australian company “born out of a desire to produce stylish and effective sun shades and other items to protect from the harsh Australian sun.”

Swim Shady and Slim shady

According to Australia’s business regulator, Swim Shady originally launched as Slim Shade before officially rebranding and debuting as Swim Shady in 2024. It sells portable beach umbrellas, swim bags and other accessories — and earlier this year, it secured a US trademark for the name.

Eminem quickly moved to challenge it in both the US and Australia.

Court records show Eminem trademarked Slim Shady in the US back in 1999, around the release of the album that cemented his fame. He, however, only applied for the trademark in Australia in January 2025.

Eminem became a global sensation in 2000 with his single hit ‘The Real Slim Shady’, which earned him a Grammy and made the name synonymous with his career. His lawyers say the moniker is “distinctive and famous” and exclusively associated with his rap career.

Were there similar trademark cases earlier?

Last year, an Australian court overturned an earlier ruling that US pop star Katy Perry infringed on the trademark of Australian designer Katie Perry.

Katy Perry won an appeal in a trademark case brought by Australian fashion designer Katie Taylor, who markets her clothing under the name Katie Perry, USA Today reported.

A panel of three judges overturned a 2023 ruling that had sided with Taylor, allowing Katy Perry (born Katheryn Hudson) to continue using her stage name to sell merchandise in Australia despite Taylor’s trademark claim.