Patagonia Sues Drag Queen Pattie Gonia Over Trademark Infringement

Patagonia filed a trademark infringement complaint on January 21, 2025, against drag queen Pattie Gonia, whose legal name is Wyn Wiley, seeking $1 in damages — though legal experts note actual costs could exceed $1 million. The lawsuit stems from Pattie Gonia's September 2025 trademark application to sell apparel under her name, which Patagonia argues is likely to confuse consumers given its similarity to the established brand. According to the complaint, Patagonia first raised concerns in 2022 following a fundraising collaboration between the performer and Hydro Flask, asking her not to sell products using the Patagonia logo, font, or the 'Pattie Gonia' name. The company followed up three years later when the performer began selling clothing bearing her name. Pattie Gonia announced and criticized the lawsuit on May 27, just before Pride Month, framing it as corporate suppression of a queer activist — a characterization that drew swift backlash against Patagonia but was also questioned by some observers who read the full complaint. Both parties have signaled willingness to resolve the matter: Pattie Gonia offered to drop her trademark application if Patagonia drops the suit, while Patagonia said it would do so only if the performer also stops selling goods under the 'Pattie Gonia' name — a condition she has not accepted. Trademark attorneys note that such suits are standard practice for brand protection and that the legal bar for registering a name as similar as 'Pattie Gonia' to 'Patagonia' is very high.