Hair care lab sues Kate Hudson for fraud

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A U.S. hair products laboratory says actress Kate Hudson and her partner, celebrity stylist David Babaii, misappropriated its formula for taming flyaway hair.

In a lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, 220 Laboratories claims the pair took its "Vanuatu Complex" formula and shopped it to a competing manufacturer without providing it proper compensation, E! News reported.

The suit accuses Hudson and Babaii of fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, breach of confidence and other charges, the Web site said. It also claims the "eco-friendly" hair care line, called David Babaii for Wildaid, features products and packaging that are too similar to the ideas developed while 220 Laboratories was allegedly negotiating with the pair.

A spokesman for Hudson denied the claims.

"Kate and her attorneys are only just learning of the complaint, as Kate has not yet been served," publicist Brad Cafarelli told E! News. "Kate does not know the plaintiffs and has never met with them or spoken with them. Her representatives believe that the claims are baseless and without merit and intend to vigorously defend the lawsuit."