Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTPhil WahbaMon, June 15, 2026 at 5:52 PM GMT+2 6 min readEarlier this year, Patagonia sued a drag queen and environmental activist performing under the name Pattie Gonia in a trademark dispute, and the feud is quickly becoming a PR headache for the eco-friendly apparel brand.After years of sometimes strained coexistence between the brand and the artist, the controversy gathered steam this month when Pattie Gonia, né Wyn Wiley, broke their silence for the first time since the lawsuit was filed in January.Taking to Instagram a few days after Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert gave his company’s side of the fight in late May at a conference, Pattie Gonia accused Patagonia of trying to “erase an activist.”Many among the drag artist’s 1.8 million followers on Instagram and 900,000 on TikTok left messages of support for the performer—and had harsh criticism for the generally progressive-aligned clothing brand. “What a time to show your true colors @patagonia … Drop the lawsuit and literally LEARN your demographic. We stand forever with @pattiegonia,” read one typical comment. (To be sure, some commenters came around to the brand’s perspective: “Initially I was on your side, but after doing the research, you’re in the wrong here hon,” wrote one follower of the artist.)In its suit, Patagonia objected to Pattie Gonia’s trademark application filed last year to produce clothing, saying that it overlapped with its own trademarks and could confuse consumers. What’s more, Patagonia has said, the trademark applications breached a 2022 agreement that had maintained a détente between the parties.On its face, the brand’s complaints seem understandable: Some of Pattie Gonia’s designs do play off Patagonia’s widely recognizable logo, showing a mountain range against layers of color. Still, at a time of intense competition in the outdoor-wear space—with VF Corp.’s resurgent the North Face, and brands like Arc’teryx and Cotopaxi ascendant—Patagonia can ill afford the possibility of angering any of its loyal customers.In recent weeks, there have been countless headlines in the vein of “Patagonia sues drag queen Pattie Gonia” that make Patagonia sound like a humorless $1.5 billion brand bullying a small, independent LGBTQ+ performer. In their Instagram post, Pattie Gonia questioned the timing of the Patagonia lawsuit, noting it came at a time in which many corporations have dialed back support for DEI initiatives and the LGBTQ+ community, and surmising that the political environment made it easier for Patagonia to sue a drag queen. But it’s worth noting that Patagonia’s aim does not appear to be financially ruining Pattie Gonia: It is suing for damages of $1 and legal fees.Terms and Privacy PolicyPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info