Katy Perry Loses Lawsuit To Aussie Fashion Designer

A US judge has ruled that Katy Perry’s company is liable for damages as it infringed on Australian fashion designer Katie Perry’s trademark.

 

Katie Jane Taylor’s line of clothing (Katie Perry) has existed since 2007 and initially, singer Katheryn Hudson, more popularly known as Katy Perry, fought the Australian registration of the brand. Hudson later withdrew and the trademark was registered to the Australian clothing line. Ms Taylor went onto sue Ms Hudson in 2019, ten years after the singer started selling her own brand of merchandise under her own name.

The judge found that Ms Hudson had infringed on Twitter ahead of her Australian Prism tour in 2014, but ruled that the singer did not owe any compensation to the designer because she had used ‘Katy Perry’ in ‘good faith’. Hudson’s firm ‘Kitty Purry’ is now liable for damages due to the sale of clothing during the tour, at pop-up stores and on a website.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 07: Katy Perry performs live at Perth Arena during her Prismatic World Tour on November 7, 2014 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Further claims of infringement via clothing sold at Target, Myer, Amazon & eBay during the ‘Prism’ & ‘Witness Tour’ in Australia were rejected. Justice Markovic also dismissed the popstar’s bid to cancel the ‘Katie Perry’ trademark.

Speaking to AAP, Ms Taylor said she would ‘have a champagne’ to celebrate this court win and said ‘I’m absolutely over the moon. It’s been about standing up for small business, for Australian law and also for justice and truth’.

The our process was a lengthy one for Ms Taylor as she faced trolling, bullying and death threats from Hudson’s online fans. ‘It’s been incredibly stressful within the court … and even outside the court to have to deal with intimidation tactics,’ she said.

 

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