Australian beach brand Swim Shady has provided an update on its trademark dispute with Eminem, just days ahead of the first scheduled hearing.
The startup has confirmed proceedings in the ongoing legal fight against the US rapper, real name Marshal Bruce Mathers III, are now active across multiple territories.
At the centre of the dispute is Swim Shady’s name, which Eminem argued is “highly confusingly similar and/or legally identical in sight and sound” to his famous Slim Shady moniker. Eminem has challenged the name in Australia, the US, the UK, and Japan. The rapper is opposing the company’s attempts to secure trademark protection across a range of products, including beach canopies, umbrellas, towels, and apparel.
In Australia, Swim Shady’s application was accepted by IP Australia, the federal government agency that administers intellectual property rights and legislation for patents, trademarks, and design rights, in August 2025 before Eminem formally opposed it two months later. Both sides have since filed evidence, though neither has yet requested an oral hearing.
The case will take a key step forward locally this week, with a hearing before the Registrar of Trade Marks scheduled for April 1st. That proceeding concerns Swim Shady’s attempt to cancel two of Eminem’s existing trademarks – “Shady” and “Shady Limited” – on the basis of alleged non-use.
The battle is playing out simultaneously overseas. In the US, Swim Shady successfully registered its trademark in September 2025, prompting Eminem to file for its cancellation shortly after. In February 2026, the company moved to pause those proceedings while the Australian case unfolds. The US Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s decision is still pending.
In the UK, the opposition process is ongoing, with both parties submitting evidence and further filings due by April. Meanwhile in Japan, where the trademark has already been registered, the Japanese Patent Office is reviewing whether Eminem’s challenge has merit.
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“We created Swim Shady to solve a real problem – making sun protection simple, portable and effortless at the beach,” co-founder Jeremy Scott said in a statement to Rolling Stone AU/NZ. “We remain focused on continuing to grow the brand globally.”
This is far from the first time Eminem has petitioned to protect his trademarks. He previously took on a clothing company called “Shadzy”, a sunglasses brand called “Shady Character”, and recently took on Real Housewives stars Gizelle Bryant and Robyn Dixon over their efforts to get a trademark for their podcast, Reasonably Shady. That case remains ongoing.
