Hailey Beiber has just launched her new skincare line, Rhode, amidst great anticipation. Unfortunately, the model is facing a serious blow at the beginning of her new journey. A luxury fashion company of the same name has sued Bieber for trademark infringement.
The Fashion Company
RHODE is a nine-year-old L.A.-based clothing brand co-founded by Phoebe Vickers and Purna Khatau. According to the lawsuit filed against Hailey Bieber, the founders of RHODE have gone through a lot of hardship to successfully establish the brand which was launched in May 2013. The brand is now highly successful and has luxury outlets in high-end stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. The label is also donned by top celebrities like Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, and Beyonce.
The Lawsuit
The trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Khatau and Vickers alleges that the Instagram handle @rhode started to initiate the confusion, as Instagram allowed Hailey Bieber to use the handle, despite their earlier promise to keep the handle only for the designer duo. The filing also takes note of the personal Instagram accounts of both Hailey Bieber and her celebrity husband, Justin Bieber, to further elaborate on the confusion with their posts about the newly launched Rhode brand. In the lawsuit, the designer duo demanded a name change for the skincare line to prevent further confusion and harm.
The Reason Behind
Khatau and Vickers own the RHODE trademark for several accessories and common clothing items. They have also applied to expand the trademark in other consumer product areas like household items, skincare, and makeup. Now, Hailey Bieber has launched the skincare line, Rhode, as per her middle name. But it has already created huge confusion in the market, hurting the fashion brand. The confusion started when Bieber previously commented to a TikTok fan that her new company Rhode is going to expand into a lifestyle brand, including a clothing line, too.
Scientists Discover a Bee That Is a Combination of Male and Female
Generally speaking, animals are sexually dimorphic. You have females with large gametes and males with smaller gametes. Both are required for the sexual reproduction of species. However, every now and again, nature surprises us by producing an organism that is a combination of both sexes. In this case, we have a bee that is split right down the middle.
First of its Kind
Organisms with both sexes are known as gynandromorphs. This is the first Megalopta amoena to be discovered with the condition. It’s a nocturnal bee species indigenous to Central and South America.
The left side of the insect has male characteristics — it has a dainty mandible, long antenna, and a thin, fragile hind leg with few bristles. The right side is female — it features a shorter antenna, hairy and thick hind leg, and a pronounced mandible.
Why Is This Bee So Important
Gynandromorphism among bees is quite common. This phenomenon has been observed in at least 140 bee species, as well as butterflies, crustaceans, and birds. Mammals, on the other hand, have never displayed gynandromorphism. At least not to our knowledge.
What makes this case different? The short answer is that gynandromorphic bees are usually discovered by scientists after they are already dead. Finding a living specimen is a stroke of luck and a rare opportunity. It allows entomologists to study its behavior and learn more about how it functions, which side is dominant, the role it plays in the hive’s social structure, and more.
Who Made the Discovery?
The bee was discovered by a team of researchers, led by entomologist Erin Krichilshy of Cornell University. The scientists were conducting a study on circadian rhythms at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. They were observing living bees collected from the forest of Barro Colorado Island in Panama when they noticed the odd specimen.
While one bee isn’t enough to fully comprehend gynandromorphism, it’s a significant breakthrough that will answer at least a few questions.