Katy Perry, the American singer, wins her appeal against… Katie Perry in Australia

PEOPLE – An expensive homonym. Since 2009, pop singer Katy Perry and fashion designer Katie Janes Taylor (née Perry) have been in conflict over the former's artist name, Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson. After a first decision unfavorable to the interpreter of I Kissed a Girl in 2023, the verdict of the appeal has just fallen and it is much more positive for the American.

This Friday, November 22, the Federal Court of Australia decided to overturn the court's initial findings. Katy Perry is therefore assured of being able to use the brand of the same name in the country. To justify their decision, the three judges cited the fact that she had used her artist name as a registered trademark five years before the “Katie Perry” clothes saw the light of day. They also canceled the clothing brand registration.

“I lost everything, including my trademark. As you can imagine, I am devastated”confides the fashion designer to New York Post. She says that her brand, which “was a dream” since she was 11 years old and the result of hard work since 2006, was taken from her by the pop singer.

She also wonders about the decisions to be made now that this new verdict has been rendered. “Maybe move to a place in the world where the name Katie Perry no longer has meaning”she concluded bitterly.

A case that has been dragging on since 2009

Katie Taylor initiated legal proceedings in Australia against Katy Perry for infringing her trademark “Katie Perry” since October 2019. She alleged that the pop singer had willfully ignored the Australian trademark and used its name to sell clothing and products derivatives in this same country during his international tour in 2014.

In April 2023, the Federal Court of Australia ruled that the singer had thus damaged the sale of the brand, before the American star's lawyers filed an appeal against this decision in June. “I fought not only for myself, but also for small businesses in this country”declared the fashion designer in her blog, as reported by the NY Post.

An Australian firm specializing in intellectual property was commissioned by Katy Perry in June 2009 to file a first request with the Australian government, opposing the “Katie Perry” brand officially approved in January of that same year. The pop singer and the fashion designer then tried to reconcile their interests in an agreement, without finding final common ground. 10 years later, the legal case was launched by Katie Taylor.

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