Renowned wedding dress designer Hayley Paige, famous for her appearances on TLC’s reality show “Say Yes to the Dress,” is reintroducing herself to the world after resolving a complicated legal battle. Paige, who lost the rights to design dresses under her own name and control of her social media accounts, has finally regained both after nearly four years of disputes.
Legal battle
The legal battle began around 2020 when Paige, at the height of her success, found herself at odds with her then-employer, JLM Couture. The dispute centered on allegations from JLM that Paige violated a non-compete agreement, posted social media content that did not align with the brand, and promoted other companies without JLM’s permission. JLM sued Paige, asserting it owned her Instagram account. Her Instagram alone had more than a million followers at the time. Paige denies JLM ever owned her Instagram.
Paige alleged when she was 25 years old, at the beginning of her career, she signed an employment contract with JLM without counsel present. That agreement gave JLM the right and license to Paige’s name in connection with the bridal industry.
“I had blinders on early in my career because I was so hyper-focused on myself and what I could do for other companies,” said Paige.
After a federal judge ruled in JLM’s favor, the company took over Paige’s social media accounts. JLM hired another designer to make dresses under her name, with Paige allegedly receiving none of the commissions or royalties.
“I could not use my birth name in any business or commerce or even to publicly identify, and I was also being restricted under a non-compete, which meant I couldn’t practice the trade I had dedicated my whole life and education to,” said Paige.
But in May, that all changed. A New York federal court ruled in Paige’s favor, returning control of her Instagram stating that JLM failed to prove ownership. Paige celebrated by sharing her joy on Instagram, saying, “My case has likely set positive legal precedent and case law for anyone and everyone who uses social media personally and professionally.”
Upon hearing the news, Paige played her favorite song and danced around the house. She chose “Make It Big” by the Beach Boys, which includes a lyric about seeing your name in lights and spelled out, making it a fitting celebration.
Despite this victory, the court upheld the non-compete clause, which restricted Paige from designing wedding dresses under her name. To resolve this, Paige reached a settlement agreement with JLM, agreeing to pay $263,000. This settlement allowed her to be released from all obligations and use her name again.
“It was just so fulfilling,” said Paige.
In a statement to CBS News, JLM said it is “satisfied that it has resolved its differences” with Paige and “wishes her well.”
Shoe venture
During the legal battle, Paige launched a new venture, She Is Cheval, focusing on shoe design. She explained, “Cheval is the French word for horse, and I studied French couture. It was something I could step into and be energized about.”
With the legal issues behind her, Paige is excited about the future. She plans to return to wedding dress design and is working on making her dresses available again. Paige is also looking forward to her own wedding, with no doubt about who will be designing her dress.
“So much of life probably tries to dim that,” she said. “You can kind of decide, I know that that is going on, but I can also still feel like myself and I can still hopefully dazzle women, because that is something that I believe I can do. It’s a special thing to be able to hold onto that.”
Source : Cbs News
