Outdoor apparel giant Patagonia has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against drag queen and environmental activist Pattie Gonia, whose real name is Wyn Wiley. The lawsuit, filed in January in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that Wiley's commercial activities have encroached on Patagonia's brand identity.
Details of the Lawsuit
According to NBC, Patagonia claims that Wiley has moved beyond using the Pattie Gonia persona solely for activism and has instead developed a wide-ranging commercial enterprise. The company points to Wiley's trademark application seeking exclusive rights to the name Pattie Gonia for apparel, marketing, and events as evidence of this shift.
The clothing giant's complaint states that the drag queen's products and services compete directly with those of Patagonia, which has built its brand over the past fifty-three years. The company argues that Pattie Gonia appropriates Patagonia's brand and identity in a way that has already confused consumers and will continue to cause confusion about Patagonia's role in producing or sponsoring Pattie Gonia's products, events, and public appearances.
Patagonia is seeking $1 in damages plus legal fees, emphasizing that it supports the performer's environmental causes but must protect its branding. The drag queen, who has millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok, has raised more than $3.7 million for environmental nonprofits.
Pattie Gonia's Response
Pattie Gonia issued a plea on social media, urging supporters to unite and persuade Patagonia to drop the lawsuit. In an Instagram post last Wednesday, the drag queen wrote: "This is not a brand conflict. This is a corporation trying to erase an activist. This is how corporations bully individuals who cannot match their resources."
Pattie Gonia also shared an open letter to the company, acknowledging the $1 lawsuit but arguing that Patagonia aims to burden them with more than $1 million in legal fees, which would also affect the lives of the team they employ. "This is a betrayal of Patagonia's core mission," the drag queen continued. "Because if they're 'in business to save the planet,' why are they suing a climate activist?"
The performer noted that after staying silent for months, they decided to speak up or risk "the erasure of my name, my advocacy, my community and everyone I employ" and "fight for myself and fight for us." Pattie Gonia added: "So I'm fighting and I'm inviting you to join me in a simple call to action: Patagonia, drop the lawsuit."
Patagonia's Position
In its filings, Patagonia included photos showing how the drag queen's branded stickers look "substantially similar" to the Patagonia logo featuring the familiar mountain silhouette. The company countered with its own statement, detailing that it worked with Pattie Gonia for years to reach an agreement and avoid going to court, but accused the entertainer of violating the agreement by filing a trademark application for wide-ranging commercial sales.
"Over the past several years, we've tried to find a path forward that would allow Pattie Gonia to continue their work while also protecting the Patagonia trademark," the company said on Wednesday. "These conversations have included multiple proposals — each intended to support that path — along with ongoing dialogue and genuine efforts to avoid this ending up in court. Unfortunately, we could not reach an agreement."
Patagonia further detailed to the Los Angeles Times that the suit is not trying to challenge "anyone's identity or right to advocacy, protest, or creative expression." The company explained in an email: "Protecting the Patagonia trademark is part of protecting the ability of this company to continue doing that work in the future. The last thing we wanted was a legal fight with someone who shares our values, but we must protect our business and employees."
