US singer Katy Perry to appeal claims she infringed on Sydney woman’s trademark

An American music superstar icon has revealed plans to fight an Australian court’s finding she infringed on a Sydney woman’s trademark.

American icon Katy Perry has filed an appeal after an Australian court found she had infringed on a Sydney designer’s trademark. Picture: John Shearer / Getty Images

American pop icon Katy Perry has revealed she’ll appeal a decision made in an Australian court which found she infringed on a Sydney designer’s trademark.

In April, Sydney woman Katie Jane Taylor, a self-described “Aussie battler”, sued the I Kissed A Girl singer in the Federal Court over the sale of clothes – including T-shirts and pyjamas – in Australia, claiming trademark infringement.

Ms Taylor, a mother of two, has operated a clothing label under her birth name Katie Perry since 2006 and has held the trademark in Australia for more than a decade.

The court found the singer had infringed on Ms Taylor’s trademark in social media posts. Picture: Jason Kempin / Getty Images

Australian Designer Katie Jane Taylor (nee Perry) won her legal battle, but the singer has filed an appeal. Picture: Instagram

However, the Sydney designer sued the singer – whose real name is Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson – claiming she infringed her trademark by using one that was “substantially identical to or deceptively similar”.

Ms Taylor claimed the singer was using the trademark in Australia since at least 2013, selling products not only at her concerts, but also at shops such as Myer and Target.

Justice Brigitte Markovic released her judgment following the lengthy trademark dispute in April, saying it was a “tale of two women, two teenage dreams and one name”.

Ms Taylor had partially won her claims, while a counterclaim by Perry and her company, Killer Queen LLC, was dismissed.

Ms Taylor began designing clothes under the name ‘Katie Perry’ in 2007. Picture: Instagram

The singer has filed an appeal on the court’s findings. Picture: Rich Fury / Getty Images

Ms Taylor first began designing clothes in November 2007 when they were launched at a school charity event and then sold them at Sydney markets in May 2008. She had already registered her business and domain name “Katie Perry” in 2007.

In 2009, Ms Taylor went public with the legal battle in the form of a video message to the superstar on YouTube.

This prompted an email from Perry’s manager, Steven Jensen, to say the situation was “blown way out of proportion”.

The singer has since filed an appeal on the Federal Court’s ruling.

A next hearing date is yet to be decided.

Originally published as US singer Katy Perry to appeal claims she infringed on Sydney woman’s trademark