The Story Frida Kahlo: Artist or brand? - The Sunday Story
Mar 8, 2026
Blanca Schofield, assistant culture and books editor for The Times and The Sunday Times, reports on Frida Kahlo’s legacy and the commercialization of her image. She traces Kahlo’s distinctive self-portraits, life-shaping injuries and politics. Blanca explores the family split, trademark battles, pop culture ubiquity and controversies like the Frida Barbie and corporate branding.
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Frida Kahlo's Image Became Ubiquitous
- Frida Kahlo's image has become ubiquitous beyond art into consumer goods, from tequila to sanitary pads and a Frida emoji.
- Blanca Schofield highlights the shift from relative obscurity at death in 1954 to global brand status by recent decades.
Biography Sparked Frida Kahlo's Global Fame
- Hayden Herrera's 1983 biography turned Frida from a little-known artist into an international feminist icon.
- Herrera discovered Kahlo's work at a Mexico City exhibition in the 1970s and her PhD research evolved into the influential book.
Trademarks Replaced Copyright To Monetize Frida
- Copyright for Frida's paintings lapsed under Mexico's old 30-year term, but the family protected her likeness via trademarks.
- The Frida Kahlo Corporation registered numerous trademarks, enabling legal action against vendors selling merch.
