The outdoor apparel brand Patagonia is suing drag queen Pattie Gonia for trademark infringement, arguing that the move was "to protect the brand we have spent the last 50 years building," according to a press release. The clothing brand claims that the drag queen's name, a play on its own, could be confusing to consumers.
In the complaint filed in a California federal court earlier this week, the brand also argued that the drag queen, who uses the name on clothing and other commercial ventures, directly competes with its products and the "advocacy work" it participates in. The company is seeking $1 in damages, reports Fast Company.
"We’re not against art, creative expression, or commentary about our brand," Patagonia wrote in a statement. "We want Pattie to have a long and successful career and make progress on issues that matter – but in a way that respects Patagonia’s intellectual property and ability to use our brand to sell products and advocate for the environment."
In a statement to Bloomberg Law, the drag queen and her business partner said that they have "never and will never reference the brand Patagonia’s logo or brand."
Previously, Pattie Gonia agreed not use her name "in any form," nor Patagonia's logo or font, on products, reports Fast Company. However, Patagonia argues that in 2024, the drag queen started selling merchandise featuring versions of the company's logo, including t-shirts that say "Pattie Gonia Hiking Club. Pattie Gonia then filed to trademark "Pattie Gonia" in September 2025 to use on clothing, marketing services, and more. Patagonia argued that granting the performer the rights would "directly overlap with the work we do and the products we provide."
"To put a finer point on it, we cannot selectively choose to enforce our rights based on whether we agree with a particular point of view,” the company said in its release. "For these reasons, Pattie Gonia’s use of a near-copy of our name commercially . . . poses long-term threats to Patagonia’s brand and our activism.”
Out magazine selected Pattie Gonia for the 2024 Out100, an annual list of top LGBTQ+ changemakers, for her drag and environmental activism. She appeared at the 2025 Out100 event alongside SJ Joslin, a park ranger fired for displaying a transgender Pride flag in Yosemite; the pair created a dress and train of the flag, which they unfurled at the Out100 celebration in Los Angeles.
