Outdoors company Patagonia sues drag queen 'Pattie Gonia' for 'irreparable harm' to reputation

The outdoor brand Patagonia has sued drag queen Pattie Gonia over a trademark application filed by the entertainer, alleging that it will "confuse consumers" and cause irreparable harm to the brand.

Pattie Gonia, whose real name is Wyn Wiley, had filed a trademark application "claiming the exclusive right to the brand Pattie Gonia for, among other things, apparel, online marketing services, promoting public awareness of and motivational speaking services in support of environmental sustainability and LGBTQIA2S+ equality, organizing community sporting and cultural events, organizing, arranging, and conducting trail and hiking events, entertainment services in the nature of live musical performances, and music recordings," the suit stated, adding that the products and services "compete directly with the products and advocacy upon which Patagonia built its Patagonia brand for over the last fifty-three years."

The brand claimed that the move from the drag queen contradicts with earlier promises from him, "appropriates Patagonia’s brand and identity in a way that has already confused consumers, and will continue to confuse consumers, about Patagonia’s role in producing or sponsoring Pattie Gonia’s products, events, and public appearances."

The company noted the mission of promoting "the environment and inclusion in the outdoors" is central to both the brand and the drag queen, and for that reason, "before Pattie Gonia’s activities and identity transformed into a commercial enterprise, Patagonia repeatedly communicated with Pattie Gonia and understood that the parties had reached agreement about how that advocacy work might continue in a way that would not interfere with Patagonia’s brand." This agreement, the filing stated, has not been honored.

The lawsuit noted a sticker and logo frequently donned by Pattie Gonia, in which the drag queen’s name replaces the brand’s name in its iconic mountain peak logo, with the sky in the background being replaced with a pride flag. It also noted that customers have already been confused about the extent to which the drag queen is affiliated with the brand, writing comments on social media posts from the entertainer expressing their confusion.

"Patagonia tried to work with Pattie Gonia to avoid this outcome," the lawsuit stated. When water bottle company Hydroflash worked on a collaboration with Pattie Gonia in 2022, the company and the drag queen came to an understanding that he "must refrain from selling Pattie Gonia-branded products or using fonts or designs that copy, or are substantially similar to, Patagonia’s logos. This agreement was ignored by Pattie Gonia, the lawsuit said, stating that he began selling PattieGonia-branded products.

In early 2025, after seeing products being sold on his website, the company again requested that he stop "commercial use of the Pattie Gonia name and abide by the 2022 understanding. Within several months, Pattie Gonia’s actions confirmed that she did not intend to abide by the understanding the parties reached in February 2022."

The brand noted that this is not the first time it has had to stop others from using its brand, citing other uses of its logo with variations such as "Fratagonia" and "Petagonia." The lawsuit states, "Protection of Patagonia’s brand requires action whether the brand or logo has been misappropriated by supporters of the oil industry, para-military organizations, or supporters of Patagonia’s own core initiatives."

"While Patagonia seeks only nominal monetary damages, the harm Pattie Gonia has caused and will cause to the PATAGONIA brand is irreparable and cannot be remedied by money damages or other remedies short of an injunction. Unless Pattie Gonia is restrained by the Court, Pattie Gonia will continue expanding and causing harms," the suit added.