March 11, (THEWILL) — Australian designer, Katie Perry, legally known as Katie Taylor, has won a long-running trademark battle with US pop star, Katy Perry, the High Court of Australia ruled on Wednesday.
The case began when Taylor sued the singer for trademark infringement over her fashion brand, “Katie Perry”.
Katy Perry, whose real name is Katheryn Hudson, tried to cancel the designer’s trademark, saying it could confuse shoppers or harm her reputation.
The legal fight lasted more than six years. Taylor first won in the Federal Court in 2023, but the ruling was overturned on appeal in 2024. The High Court’s decision restores her trademark and ends the dispute.
The court ruled that Taylor’s brand does not break trademark law, would not harm the singer’s reputation, and is unlikely to confuse shoppers. Taylor’s lawyers said people can easily tell the difference between the two spellings and that Taylor did not know about the singer when she registered the clothing trademark in 2007.
Katy Perry’s team argued that Taylor should have acted sooner, instead of waiting 10 years after the singer’s merchandise was sold in Australia. The High Court rejected that argument.
The decision ends a long fight that started in 2009. Katy Perry has been ordered to pay Taylor’s legal costs, with the exact amount to be determined.
Taylor said the ruling is a victory for small businesses and shows that trademarks can protect creators of all sizes.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
