Pop star Katy Perry is likely sitting on cloud nine right now as her five year legal battle against an Australian fashion designer has come to an end.
Perry has been engaged in a trademark battle with Sydney designer Katie Jane Taylor since October 2019 and has finally come out on top.
Taylor sued the singer, whose real name is Katheryn Hudson, for selling her own merchandise. She argued that this was causing confusion regarding her own brand, which she sells under her birth name Katie Perry.
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Amazingly, in 2023, courts concluded that the singer’s firm Kitty Purry had engaged in trademark infringement during the 2014 Australian tour.
However, following an appeals process from Perry’s team, this has now been overturned.
Today (November 22), three appeals judges overturned the decision and even went as far to say Taylor had ‘brought this result on herself’.
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Judges stated that Perry had been using her name as a trademark a whole five years before Taylor had even started her business.
They added that by the time she had, Perry had achieved international fame and recognition in entertainment.
The judges also cancelled Taylor's trademark registration on Friday.
The appeals team also noted that in 2009, Perry had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Taylor before suggesting they come to a ‘co-existence agreement’.
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The judgement read: “Ms Taylor rejected that offer of a co-existence agreement, which, as circumstances turned out, would have been an excellent outcome for both parties.
“However, having rejected the offer, Ms Taylor then chose to commence infringement proceedings.
"Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to return to the time of peaceful coexistence.”
Taylor has spoken about her frustration regarding the decision however, even likening her legal battle with Perry to David and Goliath.
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In a statement, she said: “This case proves a trademark isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.
“My fashion label has been a dream of mine since I was 11 years old and now that dream that I have worked so hard for, since 2006, has been taken away."
She also stated that she would take time with her legal consul to consider her next options. The judges did also note that it was an ‘unfortunate’ end to the legal battle and praised both Taylor and Perry for the success they had.
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The judges said: “As the fame of one grew internationally, the other became aware of her namesake and filed a trademark application.
“Both women put blood, sweat and tears into developing their businesses.”
Topics: Katy Perry, Celebrity, News, World News
Gerrard Kaonga