How the Delevingne Sisters' 'Cheat on Champagne' Campaign Sparked a Legal Battle with the Champagne Industry

A champagne industry body has sent a formal letter to the celebrity Delevingne sisters, demanding they cease all references to champagne in the marketing of their vegan prosecco brand, Della Vite. The Comité Champagne, which represents the interests of champagne houses and growers, accuses the brand of unfairly exploiting the reputation of champagne.

Della Vite's marketing materials prominently feature slogans like "Cheat on champagne" and "Warning: This is not champagne", which have drawn sharp criticism. The sisters—Cara, Poppy, and Chloe Delevingne—refused to comply with the demand and instead amplified their campaign by sharing a redacted version of the cease-and-desist letter on social media.

In their social media post, Della Vite captioned the image with a quote from Oscar Wilde: "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about." Poppy Delevingne, an actor and model, explained that the campaign was intended to be "fun, cheeky, and a little provocative", and they were surprised by the severity of the response but pleased with the attention it generated.

The Comité Champagne's letter emphasized that any use of the name 'champagne' outside of its protected appellation constitutes an unfair exploitation and risks tarnishing the brand's reputation. In response, Numa Heathcote, CEO and co-founder of Della Vite, stated that this reaction highlights how modern challenger brands are reshaping perceptions of quality and luxury in the sparkling wine industry.

Founded in 2020, Della Vite continues to push forward with its campaign, signaling a shift in how new generations define and engage with luxury beverages.