US pop star Katy Perry has been sued by Australian
fashion designer Katie Perry over alleged trademark infringement.
The Sydney-based designer owns a female loungewear clothing label and
goes by Katie Taylor now, but she still continues her fashion brand
under Katie Perry, her maiden name, for which she also holds the
trademark registration in Australia.
According to court documents, Taylor launched litigation proceedings
for trademark infringement against Perry, whose real name is Katheryn
Elizabeth Hudson, as well as her company Killer Queen LLC, in the
Australian Federal Court in Sydney on October 24.
The first case management hearing has been set for November 21.
"This is a real David and Goliath fight," Taylor said in a statement
sent to dpa on Thursday.
She said she was fighting "for all small businesses in this country
who can be bullied by these overseas entities who have much more
financial power than we do."
Taylor established her fashion label in late 2006 and has held
trademark registration for Katie Perry-branded clothes in Australia
since September 29, 2008.
Taylor said she was asked by the singer's lawyers in May 2009 to
withdraw her trademark application for her label. But the singer
dropped the case just before it was set for court.
Taylor alleges Perry has since ignored her Australian trademark,
"placing herself above the law in Australia," and selling clothing
under the Katy Perry label in large supermarkets, including Target.
Taylor said she was able to commence expensive legal proceedings only
after finding support from Litigation Capital Management Limited, a
global litigation funder.