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ARTICLE · 30 MARCH 2026

Katy Perry and Katie Perry: Why Fame is not Paramount in Trade Mark Litigation

Piper Alderman
Piper Alderman
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Piper Alderman

Piper Alderman

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HC recently concluded TM battle between Australian fashion designer Katie Perry & global pop star Katy Perry, providing important guidance on reputation as well as deception & confusion in TM litigation.

AustraliaIntellectual Property
Tim O’Callaghan
Tim O’Callaghan
Travis Shueard
Travis Shueard
Sahar Al-Dulaimi
Sahar Al-Dulaimi
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The High Court has recently concluded a 15 year trade mark battle between Australian fashion designer Katie Perry and globally renowned pop star Katy Perry, providing important guidance on reputation as well as deception and confusion in trade mark litigation.

Background

The appellant, Katie Taylor, whose birth name is Katie Jane Perry and who used that name from around 2006 until her marriage in 2015,1 is an Australian fashion designer (Ms Taylor). On 13 September 2007, she applied to register a trade mark in class 42 for "clothing and fashion designing", with the prominent feature being the words "KATIE PERRY".2 At that time, she had no knowledge of the American singer-songwriter Katy Perry.3

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