Kim Kardashian-West's plan to sell stake in beauty line hit by legal challenge

It may take a court injunction to keep up with the Kardashians.

Kim Kardashian West’s partner for her beauty line won a court order temporarily blocking the reality TV star from sharing trade secrets in their agreement as she pursues a stake sale to rival Coty.

Seed Beauty, Kardashian West’s partner, said in a court filing that Coty would gain “an unfair competitive advantage” from access to Oxnard, California-based Seed’s “most sensitive and highly confidential information”.

Seed typically partners with celebrities to develop beauty brands and manufactures the products.

The injunction may delay negotiations with Coty, which said earlier this month it is in talks with Kardashian West for a possible collaboration “with respect to certain beauty products”. The possible partnership comes just months after Coty closed a $600 million (Dh2.2bn) deal with her sister, Kylie Jenner.

In the court filing, Seed, which also has a partnership with Ms Jenner, said her company wouldn’t say if terms of their agreement were shared with Coty.

Seed said the evidence it uncovered “strongly suggests” Coty has been using the deal due diligence process to obtain confidential, proprietary and trade secret information on its direct-to-consumer business model.

“We are pleased that the court recognised the threat posed to Seed, and we will take further action as needed to protect our rights and business agreements,” Seed said in a statement through its lawyer.

Representatives for Ms Kardashian West, Coty and Ms Jenner didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment sent late on Saturday.

The clan’s influence can’t be underestimated. On Friday, Gap announced a tie-up with Ms Kardashian West’s husband, rapper Kanye West, for a new line of apparel for men, women and kids called Yeezy Gap. The struggling apparel company’s shares soared the most in at least 40 years after the announcement with Mr West, whose sneaker line with Adidas routinely sells out.

The case is Seed Beauty LLC v KKW Beauty LLC, 20VECV00684, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County.

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri

Rating: 1/5

Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649

iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179

Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

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Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan

Director: Venkat Prabhu

Rating: 2/5