Vogue Takes Aim at Dogue Magazine in High-Stakes Trademark Battle

Dogue, the dog fashion and lifestyle magazine, was founded and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California is now under legal fire as Vogue has formally opposed its trademark application in the United States. Dogue’s recent attempts to secure trademark protection for its brand have drawn the ire of global fashion powerhouse Vogue, who claims the canine-centric publication’s name is confusingly similar to its own. The opposition was officially filed with the USPTO, adding a high-stakes twist to Dogue’s fast-growing presence in the pet fashion space.

Parody brands like Dogue exist to evoke a response, using clever takes on well-known trademarks to entertain, comment, or critique. US trademark law does sometimes recognize parody as a protected form of free expression, as long as such use clearly distinguishes itself from the original and avoids confusing consumers.

However at the same time, Vogue debuted its own ‘Dogue’ covers as part of a special…