US singer Katy Perry is being sued by an Australian fashion designer with the same name.
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In a statement released on Thursday, fashion designer Katie Perry said she was launching litigation proceedings against the Firework singer for alleged trademark infringement.
The Sydney designer launched legal action under her married name — Katie Taylor — in the Federal court in an attempt to stop the pop star from selling clothing branded with her name in Australia.
“This is a real David and Goliath fight,” Ms Taylor said in her statement.
“The singer has ignored my trade mark and continued to sell infringing goods unlawfully in Australia.
“I am fighting not just for myself, but for all small businesses in this country who can be bullied by these overseas entities who have much more financial power than we do.”
The legal dispute dates back as far as 2009, when Ms Taylor claims Perry and her lawyers “tried to bully” her into giving up the trademark and that Perry’s lawyers “made threats” against her including threatening to sue her
“The singer has since ignored the designer’s Australian trademark rights, placing herself above the law in Australia,” she said.
In 2009, Perry launched a fashion line called Katy Perry Collections, selling clothing and shoes across Australia, including at Myer and Target.
Meanwhile, Ms Taylor launched her line in 2006 from Paddington, Sydney, and since September 29, 2008, she has owned the trademark Katie Perry in Australia.
“Up until now, the designer, a mother of two young children, did not have the financial resources to take on the pop star by commencing expensive legal proceedings,” Ms Taylor’s team said.
“It is only through the support of LCM (Litigation Capital Management Limited), a global litigation funder, that she is now able to take this action.”
‘I have been powerless to act,’ the Sydney-based designer told The Daily TelegraphOpens in a new Window.. “My friends have warned me against doing this but I want to be an example to my children.”
Katy Perry is also currently embroiled in another legal dispute with photo agency Backgrid, after the singer shared a picture the photo agency took of her dressed as Hilary Clinton on her Instagram in 2016.
The agency is suing for $150,000 after reportedly contacting her multiple times in 2017 to pay the licensing fee for the image
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