Katy Perry Takes Legal Action Against Australian Designer Katie Perry

Katy Perry is at it again in her ongoing dispute with designer Katie Perry after she was found guilty earlier this year of infringing on the latter’s Australian trademark. After losing to the apparel entrepreneur in April, the “California Gurls” singer has now filed for an appeal, reported the New York Post. Perry, the non-singer who now goes by the last name Taylor, explained that the two were initially in dispute in 2009. As an attempt to take over the Australian-based brand that had been operating since 2007, the singer and her representatives issued a cease-and-desist letter at the time, as they sought to take over the business. “They stated that I should immediately stop trading under this name,” Taylor wrote in a blog post. “Withdraw all my clothes and sign a document drafted by them to say from now on I will never trade under this name ever again.”

Taylor stated that when she refused to comply with Perry’s camp, they “chose to simply disregard” her presence and her Australian trademark rights, filling chain stores throughout the country with Perry merchandise and other “infringing articles.” After losing to Taylor in April, the “TGIF” singer filed for an appeal in June 2023. In her interview with the Post, Taylor described the whole ordeal as being a “David and Goliath case,” referring to the singer’s legal power versus Taylor, a mother of two, who had to rely upon an Australian firm, Litigation Capital Management Limited (LCM), a firm that finances legal disputes. A number of the “Waking Up in Vegas” singer’s fans harassed the designer and her family during court proceedings, she claimed.

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Taylor also recounted an unpleasant experience at trial during which she was forced to read emails between Perry and her manager in which Perry called the designer a “dumb b—.” A manager for the singer tried to justify the comments. “Artists are emotional people. Emotions are what drive their talent,” manager Steven Jensen stated at the time. “That was an emotional response, not directed at Ms.Taylor personally.” After months of deliberation, the Australian Federal Court sided with Taylor, and she described the ruling as “a win for small business.” “Not only have I fought for myself, but I fought for small businesses in this country,” the designer wrote. “Many of them started by women, who can find themselves up against overseas entities who have much more financial power than we do.”

However, the victory she gained in spring was short-lived, since Perry’s legal team filed their appeal months later. Taylor said she received the devastating email after putting her children to bed. “This is a case that I thought had an end in sight,” Taylor said. “And yet the singer has chosen to continue to drag it out.” “My label is my future, my dream, my livelihood,” she continued. “And now there is a chance my trademark could be taken away.” Taylor told the Post that she expects to return to court in November or December with the singer.