Patagonia is suing Pattie Gonia, which seems off-brand
Nothing says “protect the planet” like suing the drag queen helping people care about it.
Pattie Gonia is a drag queen and climate activist who raises money for environmental causes, hikes in heels, and has apparently become an existential threat to Patagonia’s fleece empire. The high-end athleisure wear company is suing the performer for “irreparable damage” to its brand.
Wylie has amassed millions of online followers performing as Pattie Gonia, including through charity fundraisers such as a 100-mile (160km) hike in drag.
In an open letter to Patagonia’s leadership, Wylie said Pattie Gonia had raised $3.7m (£2.7m) for environmental causes altogether.
The performer said the Patagonia trademark lawsuit amounted to its CEO Ryan Gellert and other executives deciding that “I must cease to exist”.
It was the artist’s first time addressing the lawsuit, which Patagonia filed back in January in Los Angeles, California.
Patagonia’s legal action alleges Pattie Gonia competes “directly with the products and advocacy” upon which the firm built its brand.
Maybe Patagonia has a trademark lawyer’s argument. Maybe there are details in the merchandise and prior communications that make this messier than it looks from the trailhead. But from out here, it looks like Patagonia is suing a drag-queen climate activist named Pattie Gonia for being too close to the company. That is the sort of brand protection that leaves the brand looking worse protected.
Nothing says “protect the planet” like suing the drag queen helping people care about it.
Trademark law is weird and complicated. Still, there has to be a cause for people to assume the infringing work will be confusing to the public. Maybe the company thinks it will lose customers if someone with an “alternative lifestyle” is thought to be some kind of mascot or associate.