Overview
- Patagonia filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit on January 21, 2026, accusing Wyn Wiley, who performs as Pattie Gonia, of using a name and merchandise designs that could confuse consumers about a Patagonia connection.
- Pattie Gonia publicly responded between May 27 and May 29, 2026 with a video and open letter asking Patagonia to drop the suit and saying the legal fight would threaten the performer’s name, work and the nonprofits they support.
- The complaint seeks nominal damages of $1 but also requests attorneys’ fees and an injunction that could bar Wiley from registering or selling under the Pattie Gonia name, a combination that could impose substantial legal costs.
- Legal commentators say performance uses tied to parody are likely to be more defensible than commercial sales that closely mimic Patagonia’s mountain logo or branding, making merchandise the central legal vulnerability.
- The dispute has prompted public backlash and raises broader questions about how major brands enforce long‑standing trademarks, the cost imbalance between corporations and individual artists, and the precedent for similar drag-name cases.