Katy Perry has filed for an appeal in her lawsuit against an Australian-based designer selling clothes under her birth name, “Katie Perry.”
Katie, who goes by the name Katie Taylor now, sued the “Last Friday Night” singer for trademark infringement due to the merchandise she sold for her 2014 Australian tour. In April, the judge found the music artist guilty of breaching the designer’s trademark with the clothing sold at her shows. Justice Brigitte Markovic asserted that Katy did use the name “in good faith” and therefore did not have to provide personal compensation to the clothing maker. With that being said, Katy’s company Kitty Purry was required to pay damages.
Now, Katy is filing an appeal following the judge’s ruling.
Taylor was approached by Katy’s representatives with a cease-and-desist letter in 2009 when they were allegedly attempting to take over the Australian brand. “Imagine my surprise when one of the reactions I received was a letter from lawyers representing the US singer, Katy Perry,” Taylor said in conversation with The Independent. “They stated that I should immediately stop trading under this name, withdraw all my clothes and sign a document drafted by them to say that from then on I will never trade under this name ever again.”
Rather than pursuing communication when Taylor told Katy’s team she wouldn’t comply, her representatives supposedly “chose to simply disregard” her and her trademark rights. Katy’s team continued to sell her merchandise in stores across the country with “infringing articles,” according to an article in the New York Post.
In a statement to The Independent, Taylor described her ongoing legal battle with Katy as a “David and Goliath case”.
“In early 2023 the Federal Court of Australia published its decision in which I won the biggest battle of my business career, the ‘David and Goliath case’ - my legal action against the singer, Katy Perry, and her companies, for infringing my Katie Perry trade mark in Australia – which I’ve held since 29th September 2008,” she said.
She explained how she has only been able to pursue her case by enlisting the help of Litigation Capital Management Limited, an Australian-based firm that helps individuals with legal funding.
Taylor also reflected on the emotional impact the trial has had on her. She told The Post about how the “Dark Horse” singer’s fans have sent her hate online. In addition, she spoke about how she was reportedly forced to read emails between Katy and her team where the singer called her a “dumb b***h”.
Katy’s manager Steven Jensen addressed the alleged messages, admitting they weren’t meant to be taken “personally”. “Artists are emotional people. Emotions are what drive their talent,” he proclaimed. “That was an emotional response, not directed at Ms Taylor personally.”
After finding out Katy was pursuing further action once the case had been settled, Taylor said to The Post: “This is a case that I thought had an end in sight. And yet the singer has chosen to continue to drag it out.”
“My label is my future, my dream, my livelihood. And now there is a chance my trademark could be taken away,” she added. “What has been incredible is the support. From farmers in Western Australia to people coming upto me on the street. This case seemed to have touched the hearts of so many people. Every week I have people come upto me and say, ‘We are supporting you, keep fighting.’”
Taylor is meant to be back in court in November or December.
The Independent has contacted Perry’s representatives for comment.
