Missy Elliott’s
line of clothing Respect ME with sports giant adidas, hit a bump in the road –
courtesy of the Queen of Denmark.
Queen Margrethe II complained that Elliott’s logo, which
the superstar rapper/producer designed herself, infringed on the Royal monogram.
“Adidas has never intended to copy the crown or any other
symbols of the Royal family in Denmark or in any other country,” adidas
Corporate PR Manager Anne Putz told AllHipHop.com. “The adidas design
team worked directly with Missy Elliott on the logo which was created from the
fact, that Missy Elliott is known as the queen of hip-hop. That’s why the logo
ended up as a crown with the M.E. monogram resembling Missy Elliott underneath.”
Elliott and adidas announced the partnership and creation of
the Respect ME line in April of 2004, with hopes of tapping into Elliott’s
fan base and the women’s urban market.
The Queen is demanding the logo be changed on the clothing line,
which launched globally in November of 2004.
Reports stated that adidas withdrew the line in Denmark, due
to the threat of legal action from the Danish royal household.
Elliott’s
partnership with the German sportswear giant, is the first with an entertainer
since adidas’ landmark deal with Run-DMC in 1986.
