A handbag brand picked a trademark fight, then blamed the regulator when it went wrong

Aupen launched in October 2022 selling sculptural, asymmetrical leather handbags priced between $180 and $490, and quickly became a celebrity favorite — Beyoncé, Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner and Taylor Swift were all photographed carrying the brand, giving the small Singapore label an outsized profile for its size.

That profile made an international trademark worth pursuing, and Aupen filed to register its name globally, including in the United States. Target opposed the filing, arguing the Aupen name was too close to Auden, Target's own house brand for underwear and sleepwear, and risked confusing shoppers.

Around September 8–9, 2025, Aupen wiped its Instagram account and shut down its website. Founder Nicholas Tan then posted three separate claims on Instagram — on September 9, 15 and 16 — asserting that IPOS had told him not to pursue the dispute because he would likely lose, that Singapore's trademark law favored foreign businesses over local ones, and that IPOS had reversed its position after a public statement on September 11.

Singapore's government fact-checking unit found the claims false: IPOS said it had never advised Tan to drop the dispute or commented on his chances, consistent with its standard practice of giving general information and directing businesses to independent legal advice. On September 22, 2025, Law Minister Edwin Tong directed the POFMA office to issue Tan a correction order for the false statements.