In a surprising turn of events, the renowned outdoor clothing and gear company Patagonia has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against popular drag performer Pattie Gonia. The move comes after Pattie Gonia, known for their environmental advocacy and LGBTQIA2S+ activism, applied for a trademark on the name “PATTIE GONIA.”
According to court documents seen by The Update Desk, Patagonia claims that Pattie Gonia’s use of a name similar to their iconic brand has caused “confusion and deception” among consumers. The company alleges that Pattie Gonia’s trademark application, which covers a wide range of commercial activities including apparel, advocacy, and motivational speaking, “competes directly with the products and advocacy upon which Patagonia built its PATAGONIA brand over the last fifty-three years.”
Patagonia further argues that Pattie Gonia has not upheld a previous agreement about how their advocacy work might continue without interfering with the Patagonia brand. The company states that it must now “protect its iconic trademarks, even when it supports or agrees with Pattie Gonia’s views, message, or objectives.”
In the court filing, Patagonia included screenshots of social media comments where users expressed confusion about whether Pattie Gonia’s content was affiliated with the outdoor retailer. The company claims that the “PATTIE GONIA trademark and Pattie Gonia Products are likely to dilute Patagonia’s famous and distinctive marks by diminishing their distinctiveness and singular association with Patagonia.”
Patagonia is seeking a jury trial and “only nominal monetary damages” of $1, as the company states that the harm caused to the Patagonia brand is “irreparable and cannot be remedied by money damages or other remedies short of an injunction.”
The Update Desk has reached out to Pattie Gonia for comment on the ongoing legal dispute.
