The decision marks the end of a long-running dispute which started in 2009
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Australian designer Katie Perry has won her High Court appeal against pop singer Katy Perry in a long-drawn-out trademark case.
In a majority decision on Wednesday, High Court judges found the designer's mark was not in breach of the trademark laws.
It added given the "heightened strength of the reputation of Katy Perry", that "no ordinary person in Australia […] after a moment's reflection" would think Katie Perry products were linked to the US singer.
The decision marks the end to a long-running dispute which began in 2009 while the singer was preparing for her Hello Katy Australian tour.
However, the case didn't gain momentum until 2019 when the designer – who changed her surname to Taylor in 2015 – took the singer to the Federal Court, claiming her trademark had been infringed by the sale of the singer's tour merchandise.
Taylor successfully sued the singer two years ago for selling merchandise during a 2014 Australian tour, but the ruling was later overturned in 2024 and the designer's trademark was cancelled.
In a statement published to her website after the ruling, the designer said: "This has been an incredibly long and difficult journey.
"But today confirms what I always believed – that trademarks should protect businesses of all sizes."
A representative for the US megastar said in a statement that she "never sought to close down Ms. Taylor's business or stop her selling clothes under the KATIE PERRY label."
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Katy Perry was born Kathryn Elizabeth Hudson but adopted her stage name in 2001.
In 2007, Taylor registered her business name – Katie Perry – and applied for a trademark.
The court heard the designer did not know about the singer when she first applied for her trademark, although by the time it was registered, she had become aware of her after hearing the song "I Kissed A Girl".
From 2008, she sold her designs in local markets and had several social media sites with the name.
But in 2009, the singer's lawyers asked Taylor to stop using the brand name.
Taylor had previously described the case as a 'David and Goliath' battle, saying she was devastated by the decision.
The US singer is no stranger to controversy. She faced significant backlash after joining the all-female crew for the Jeff Bezos-lead Blue Origin space flight in April 2025.
Critics labelled the trip 'tone deaf' and 'environmentally irresponsible'.
Taylor's fashion label is 100% Australian-owned and manufactured in Sydney, focusing on sustainable fabrics and small-batch production that supports local makers.
On her website, she wrote: “My business has always been about creating clothing locally and supporting Australian manufacturing.
"That’s something I am incredibly proud of.”