Leah Isadora Behn faces trademark dispute over beauty brand

Leah Isadora Behn, daughter of Norway’s Princess Märtha Louise, is facing a legal dispute regarding her beauty brand, ‘dorah.’ The Norwegian Patent Office initially rejected her trademark application, citing a potential for confusion with the US-based media franchise ‘Dora the Explorer.’

Authorities noted that while the spelling differs, the pronunciation of ‘Dora’ and ‘dorah’ is identical, leading to the assessment that they could be perceived as the same female name. The conflict is intensified by the fact that Viacom has protected the ‘Dora the Explorer’ brand for use in cosmetics, perfumes, and lotions.

Behn’s legal counsel, from the firm Wiersholm, has submitted a detailed statement arguing that there are distinct visual, linguistic, and conceptual differences between the two brands. They further contend that ‘Dora’ products are typically categorized as toys rather than professional cosmetics. The patent office is currently re-evaluating the case, a process that may take three to six months.