Outdoor apparel company Patagnonia sues environmentalist drag queen for trademark infringement

Outdoor apparel maker Patagonia is suing an environmentalist drag queen for trademark infringement. 

The lawsuit argues that Wyn Wiley, who goes by the name Pattie Gonia, isn't just engaging in a "discrete use of a persona to engage in activism," but rather he has "transformed into a commercial enterprise." This is causing the company irreparable harm, the company said in its lawsuit filed in January, the New York Times reported.

Gonia spoke for the first time about the lawsuit last week on Instagram, saying that he has tried to resolve the matter over the last few months without going to court. Those efforts weren't successful, and he would have to stop using the name and end his advocacy to comply with the company's wishes. Gonia called on his supporters to demand Patagonia drop the lawsuit. 

According to the lawsuit, Gonia agreed to restrict the use of the name "Pattie Gonia" on fonts or designs that imitate Patagonia's materials. In 2025, Gonia started selling apparel branded with his drag queen name online. Patagonia asked Gonia to stop, but he filed a trademark application on the "Pattie Gonia" name. 

In a statement posted on Facebook, the company said that it had hoped not to take legal action in the dispute.

"We want to acknowledge any hurt it [the lawsuit] has caused, especially in the LGBTQ+ community. We don’t want to argue trademark law on social media. Importantly, we continue to want to resolve this," the company said.