Taylor Swift has been sued by a Las Vegas woman for trademark infringement

A Las Vegas star is suing Taylor Swift for trademark infringement over her latest “showgirl” name.

Swift’s 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” was announced in August and debuted in October. The album’s glittering artistry, with elaborate artwork and beautiful feathered costumes, focuses on a burlesque aesthetic for Swift’s new age.

In a lawsuit filed Monday, singer and columnist Maren Wade says Swift’s album and her podcast show, titled “Confessions of a Showgirl,” share similarities.

“Both have the same structure, the same wording, and the same business concept,” said the complaint, which was filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California. “Both are used in integrated markets and are aimed at the same customers.”

A weekly column about Wade’s life in the entertainment industry launched in Las Vegas Weekly in 2014 and has since evolved into a podcast and live cabaret show. Wade’s “Confessions of Showgirl” brand has been popular since 2015. She says Swift and her team would have noticed the similarities.

“Maren spent more than a decade building CONFESSIONS OF A SHOWGIRL. She signed it. She earned it,” Wade’s attorney, Jaymie Parkkinen, wrote in a statement. “When Taylor Swift’s team applied to register SHOWGIRL LIFE, the Trademark Office refused, finding Swift’s mark confusingly similar.”

Representatives for Swift and UMG declined to comment.

The lawsuit says the US Patent and Trademark Office informed Swift’s team that “The Life of a Showgirl” might be confused with an existing trademark but she “continued to use it” without contacting Wade.

Because Swift’s “substantial commercial presence” is able to destroy Wade’s original name, the lawsuit says, consumers may begin to think that Wade’s name is a model of the new Swift.

“We have a lot of respect for Swift’s talent and success, but trademark law exists to ensure that creators of all levels can protect what they’ve built,” Parkkinen added. “That’s what this case is all about.”

Wade is asking the court to permanently prohibit Swift and her companies from using “The Life of a Showgirl” as a trademark for products or services, as well as to give Wade all profits earned from the sale of goods under the “Life of a Showgirl” name. He is also seeking a jury trial and other monetary compensation.

TAS Rights Management, the company that manages Swift’s trademarks, and Bravado, UMG’s global marketing and brand management arm, were also named as defendants. The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Wade case also points to the defendants’ previous legal actions to protect Swift’s trademarks.

“Of course, they are not only ignorant of trademark law – they are some of its strongest enforcers, having implemented numerous government measures to expropriate vendors selling merchandise near concert venues,” the complaint said. “They have direct knowledge of the harm that the violation of the law causes to the brand, as they presented such harm in federal court when they served their interests to do so.”

Before filing the lawsuit, Wade commented on Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” on her social media platform, sharing an Instagram post captioned “In my showgirl days.” Several of her Instagram accounts also include hashtags promoting Swift’s album.

“People like, ‘Oh, I don’t like Taylor Swift’ – It’s okay girl, if you’re not having fun, just say so,” Wade said in another video, saying “Let’s have fun #TS12 #TheLifeofAshowgirl”