Katy Perry loses trademark battle against Katie Perry
Topics: Katy Perry, Fashion, Celebrity, News, Australia
Ali Condon
Featured Image Credit: AFF / Alamy / ABC News
Topics: Katy Perry, Fashion, Celebrity, News, Australia
Katy Perry has lost a trademark court case to Australian fashion designer Katie Perry.
Katie Taylor, who sells her designs under her birth name Katie Perry, filed a suit against the star back in 2019.
In the suit, she claimed that the 'Chained To The Rhythm' singer sold Katy Perry clothing and merch to Australian clientele during her tours in the country in both 2014 and 2018, ignoring the trademark that designer Katie Perry already held.
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The Sydney-based loungewear designer started selling clothing under the name Katie Perry back in 2007, and has had it registered as a trademark since 2008.
Coincidentally, it was in 2008 when singer Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, under the stage name Katy Perry, had her first big hits 'I Kissed A Girl' and 'Hot N Cold'.
Designer Katie Perry and singer Katy Perry have been butting heads with each other over rights and trademarks since 2009, with the pop star's team trying to obtain full ownership of the name and the designer refusing the budge.
Finally, in 2023 a court has ruled that Katy Perry's company Kitty Purry partially infringed the trademark owned by Aussie fashion brand Katie Perry and must pay damages, which will be decided next month.
While Justice Brigitte Markovic ruled that clothing sold for Katy Perry's 2014 tour did breach the trademark, she rejected further allegations relating to the sale of the singer's merchandise in stores and online in 2018.
The judge also dismissed a counter bid by the 13-time Grammy nominee to throw out the Katie Perry trademark altogether.
"This is a tale of two women, two teenage dreams and one name," said Justice Markovic.
She just couldn't help herself.
Although Katy Perry didn't not appear in person at court, her manager Steven Jensen appeared as a witness.
Commenting on the win, the designer said that this was a 'David and Goliath' win for small businesses.
"This is a win for small business. We matter, Australian laws matter and most importantly in the face of a bully it is important to stand up for yourself," she wrote in a blog post on the Katie Perry website.
"My two young children have witnessed the importance of standing up for their values no matter how hard it is.
"Not only have I fought myself, but I fought for small businesses in this country, many of them started by women, who can find themselves up against overseas entities who have much more financial power than we do."