UK sportswear brand Gymshark is facing a $1 million court claim over allegations that it ended a sponsorship deal with an influencer following backlash to her pro-Israel comments.
US influencer Alix Earle claims she is owed $1 million (£770,000) after the British company pulled out of their agreement early.
Earle, who has 7 million TikTok followers and 4 million on Instagram, says Gymshark agreed to pay her for several posts on both platforms, as well as a photo shoot and an event appearance.
The allegations have been filed at the High Court, according to The Telegraph. Gymshark is understood to deny that it ever signed a contract with Earle.
However, Earle’s lawyers say they have seen a letter from the company, dated January 2024, in which Gymshark claimed she had breached an agreement between the two parties.
The influencer rose to fame in 2020 by sharing make-up and fashion content online.
Her lawyers describe her in the legal filings as “highly sought after” for social media brand collaborations.
Controversy began with a since-deleted Instagram post on Ms Earle’s account following the October 7 attacks, which read: “Now and always, we stand with the people of Israel.”
It is alleged that Gymshark ended its relationship with Ms Earle in late 2023 after her stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict drew backlash online.
Gymshark executives allegedly complained about “negative responses” to their collaboration with Ms Earle.
Comments on the Gymshark ad featuring Alix Earle accused the influencer of being a “Zionist” and suggested that it was offensive to continue working with her when the brand also featured Palestinian women in marketing.
Ms Earle said in her claim that Gymshark’s complaints were not “accepted as valid” as her social media posts were visible before the sponsorship was agreed.
Gymshark has decline to comment.
