‘David and Goliath battle’: Singer Katy Perry sued by Australian fashion designer Katie Perry

The pop singer is embroiled in a legal battle after an Australian fashion designer — also named Katie Perry — claims she stole her trademark.

Pop superstar Katy Perry has been hit with two legal battles — one of which involves an Australian fashion designer with the same name.

In a statement released on Thursday, fashion designer Katie Perry said she was launching litigation proceedings against the singer for alleged trademark infringement.

The Sydney woman launched legal action under her married name — Katie Taylor — in the Federal court in an attempt to stop the Teenage Dream singer from selling clothing branded with her name down under.

“This is a real David and Goliath fight,” Ms Taylor said.

“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.”

Designer Katie Perry at her fashion studio in Paddington. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Ms Taylor claims Perry and her lawyers “tried to bully” her into giving up the trademark in 2009 — but they were unsuccessful and eventually dropped their claim.

The fashion designer then claimed lawyers for Perry “made threats” against her including threatening to sue her, something that would have put her out of business.

“The singer has since ignored the designer’s Australian trademark rights, placing herself above the law in Australia,” she said.

Singer Katy Perry came out with a fashion line called Katy Perry Collections and has since sold clothing and shoes across Australia, including at Myer and Target.

Singer Katy Perry is facing legal action down under. Picture: Brent Clarke/Invision/AP

Ms Taylor established her fashion line in 2006 from Paddington 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.”

But Perry’s legal fight with Ms Taylor isn’t the first time the Fireworks singer has had to call her lawyers today.

Earlier, photo agency Backgrid announced it was suing Perry for $150,000 over a paparazzi photo she posted to her Instagram page in 2016, showing the singer dressed up as Hillary Clinton for Halloween.

Backgrid, which owns the rights to the image, today claimed it had contacted Perry multiple times since she posted the picture on October 28, 2016, even as recently as this month.

Despite that, the agency claims Perry’s representatives have still failed to pay the fee to license the photo.