In a protracted legal battle over name use, Katy Perry lost to Australian fashion designer Katie Perry
According to ABC News, London’s High Court released its majority decision that the Katie Perry trademark complied with trademark laws and was unlikely to be confused with or damage the global pop star’s reputation.
The attorneys for the supersar singer/songwriter argued that their client had toured and sold name-branded merchandise in Australia in 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2018 without pushback from Katie Perry. But in 2019, the designer accused the pop star of infringing on her trademark due to the sales of Katy Perry-branded clothes, shoes and headwear.
Though Katie Perry was initially successful in her bid, the ruling in her favor was subsequently overturned on appeal, when judges ruled that Katy Perry had built her reputation in Australia before Katie Perry launched her fashion label. Katie Perry, faced with the prospect of losing her business, pursued the case to the High Court.
This week the designer told the court that she was not aware of the pop star when she initially filed her trademark in 2008, although she had heard of her by the time the trademark was registered in 2009, when her namesake had a hit with ‘I Kissed a Girl.’
Katie Perry’s lawyers also argued that she had used the name for a decade without any issue. As a resuly the High Court sided with the designer, finding that use of the designer’s mark on clothing was unlikely to deceive or cause confusion, and awarded her costs.
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Author: Al Dente
Photo: nikotransmission at https://www.flickr.com/photos/nikotransmission