Tyler the Creator faces a federal lawsuit after a photo of an Airedale named Bliss appeared on Golf le Fleur merch without permission.
Tyler the Creator is facing a federal lawsuit in Texas after being accused of using a copyrighted photo of a dog named Bliss on Golf le Fleur merchandise without permission.
The complaint, filed by Anne Barlow and Joy Radabaugh, alleges that Golf le Fleur, along with Louis Vuitton and Converse, profited from the unauthorized use of a 1997 photograph featuring Barlow’s Airedale Terrier mid-jump at a dog agility show.
The image, taken by Radabaugh, was allegedly reproduced and sold on clothing and accessories without licensing or credit.
“In July 1997, Radabaugh was the photographer for a dog agility show attended by Barlow and her Spindletop kennel. There, Radabaugh photographed Bliss jumping a hurdle in an agility competition. Barlow purchased this photograph from Radabaugh after the show and has kept it ever since. Barlow displayed the photograph on her bedside nightstand for years, serving as a constant reminder of Bliss’s loyalty and companionship even after Bliss’s passing,” the plaintiffs’ attorney Casey Griffith said.
Barlow is a well-known Airedale breeder and Radabaugh has worked professionally as an animal photographer.
They note that while Radabaugh’s photos have occasionally been used without permission, those instances were never for commercial gain.
The lawsuit points to Tyler the Creator’s 2023 “Dogtooth” music video as the first public appearance of the image on a Golf le Fleur T-shirt.
Since then, the photo has reportedly been used across a range of branded merchandise, including in collaborations with Louis Vuitton and Converse.
The pair is unsure how Tyler the Creator got his hands on the image, but they said the picture was published 25 years ago in an issue of the Airedale Terrier Club of America magazine.
“In 2000, a copy of the Airedale Work was included in a 100-year anniversary edition ATCA publication. And Barlow has also published the Airedale Work online,” Griffith added.
Barlow and Radabaugh jointly own the copyright to the image, with a certificate of registration effective April 30, 2025. They claim they only discovered the alleged infringement in 2024.
The suit seeks damages and an injunction to halt any further use of the image.
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