Katy Perry vs Katie Perry

Two women, two dreams, one name - 29th May 2023

The American popstar Katy Perry faced a legal defeat in Australia over her ability to sell merchandise using her stage name. The winner of the case was Katie Perry, an Australian fashion designer who had a very similar name. The story goes back to 2008 when the designer, Katie Perry, officially registered her name as a trademark for her Australian clothing line. Katy Perry, the singer of Teenage Dream, tried to prevent the trademark registration initially but gave up.

During the popstar’s 2014 Australian tour, she sold t-shirts and other clothing with her name on them. But, five years later, designer Katie sued the singer. She claimed that the popstar had ignored her trademark. The judge, Justice Markovic, agreed. Now, the popstar will have to pay for breaking the trademark.

The designer, Katie, expressed that the victory isn’t about the money. She had fought not only for herself but also for small businesses in Australia, especially those owned by women.

Celebrities often experience trademark issues. In 2015, Kylie Jenner, the younger half sister of Kim Kardashian, sought to trademark the name "Kylie". Singer Kylie Minogue opposed the trademark. She argued that it would harm her brand. The final ruling on this case remains undisclosed, but rumours suggest that the parties reached an agreement. Jenner got to use the trademark.

Justice Markovic referred to the case as, "two women, two teenage dreams, and one name."