An Australian fashion designer is pursuing legal action against singer Katy Perry for breaching her trademark in Australia.
Designer Katie Taylor, whose maiden name is Katie Perry and who runs her Katie Perry-branded leisurewear label from the Sydney suburb of Paddington, says that the singer has long been aware of the trademark issue.
Taylor has held the Australian trade mark registration for Katie Perry-branded clothes since 2008, and it’s on this point that she’s suing the international superstar.
The American pop star has been selling Katy Perry-branded clothes in several locations across Australia including Myer, Target and online, since the launch of her Katy Perry fashion label several years ago.
The two Katy/ies clashed back in 2009, when, Taylor says, Perry’s lawyers attempted to bully her out of her legal trademark, threatening to sue. Perry withdrew the opposition just two hours before the case went to court.
So legally Katie Taylor does own the trademark in Australia, and is having no luck getting the embattled singer to back down from infringing on those rights. However, she’s now found funding and legal litigation support to sue the other Katy.
In a statement, Taylor said:
This is a real David and Goliath fight. The singer has ignored my trade mark and continued to sell infringing goods unlawfully in Australia.
I am fighting not just for myself, but for all small businesses in this country who can be bullied by these overseas entities who have much more financial power than we do.
Perry’s fashion label has already come under fire for blackface-related reasons (yikes). The singer has had her share of legal issues recently, too, being forced to cough up US$550,000 for copying another musician’s song, and now facing a US$150,000 suit from photo agency Backgrid.
You’d think she woulda learned by now. Go get ’em, our Katie.
