Rihanna Suing Topshop for $5 Million

Rihanna has filed a $5 million lawsuit against major British retailer, Topshop, for selling a T-shirt with her image without getting her consent.

The New York Post reported an exclusive source told them the pop star's team had tried to negotiate with Topshop owners Arcadia Group and chairman Sir Philip Green for almost a year for the rights to her image, "but they offered her $5,000 and said they don't care."

The source said, "Rihanna's management asked Topshop a number of times to stop selling her image and were told, 'We do what we want.' They buy the pictures from a photographer, but they do not pay the artist licensing fees. Unfortunately, UK law does not protect the artist.

"What is most offensive for Rihanna is that they basically told her, 'Go to hell. We don't care; we are going to continue selling you.' Topshop is now in the United States. They set up in Manhattan and Nordstrom, but they know better than to do this in the US because they would get in trouble," our source continued.

"Even though the UK laws don't protect the artist, she has decided to move forward and sue Topshop. She has spent almost $1 million in litigation at this point. She says it's the principle, and wants to make a statement about it. They are taking advantage of artists. It is just exploitation. What they are doing is wrong."

A Topshop source has said, "This issue is related to a T-shirt provided to Topshop by a third-party supplier. We are aware it is the subject of litigation. [There are] public documents" available for inspection in the London court.