Marc Jacobs Brushes off Nirvana ‘Happy Face' Copyright Lawsuit

A squiggly yellow smiley face with letters ‘M' and ‘J' for eyes may remind rock music lovers of a well-known illustration used and trademarked by the American band in the early 90s.

However, according to the US fashion designer Marc Jacobs, the 'Happy Face' logo used in his brand's Redux Grunge Collection has nothing to do with Nirvana's famed trademark image.

Jacobs has now demanded the lawsuit against his brand, filed by Nirvana, L.L.C. in December 2018, to be dismissed.

Social media users took to Twitter to compare the two images, judging how much of a case Nirvana really has against the US designer.

— G.F. Patrick (@TheGFPatrick) March 12, 2019​

— Deegan (@DPHellboy) March 12, 2019​

— Pseudonym Anonymous (@thatmeanguy) March 12, 2019​

— Secret Paul Ryan (@GroovinDrJarvis) March 11, 2019​

— Josh Applekamp (@JoshApplekamp) March 11, 2019​

— Rosie Burbidge (@rosieburbidge) January 4, 2019​

The famous illustration first appeared on a flyer for a release party for the 'Nevermind' album in 1991.

The Redux Grunge Collection 1993/2018 by Marc Jacobs was inspired by "the alternative music scene, the new wave of fashion photography, and the personal style of his friends," the brand's website said.