Vogue vs. Dogue: Condé Nast Sues Independent Dog Magazine for Trademark Infringement

Condé Nast, the publishing giant behind the fashion bible Vogue, has filed a lawsuit against Dogue, an independent Los Angeles-based project, accusing it of trademark infringement and unlawful use of content.

According to the company, Dogue intentionally mimics Vogue’s logo to create an association with the original brand and mislead the audience. The lawsuit claims this could cause "irreparable harm" to the publisher. Among the demands are financial compensation and the handover of all physical copies of the magazine for destruction.

Dogue’s creator, Olga Portnaya, launched the project in 2019 as "Coverdogs" on Instagram—a series of parodies featuring dogs on fashion magazine covers. Over time, the project evolved into a full-scale publication. The first print edition of Dogue was released in 2021, and in 2025, the magazine officially registered its trademark in the United States. The magazine has a limited circulation of just 100 copies per issue and is sold at a single newsstand in Beverly Hills, California. Digital versions are also available online.

Dogue positions itself as an ironic fashion magazine for dogs that "celebrates dogs as stars, not as fashion accessories." The project also collaborates with animal welfare charities.

The first grievances from Condé Nast surfaced in 2025 when Portnaya received a cease-and-desist letter demanding she stop using the name Dogue and rebrand the magazine. Interestingly, in 2024, Vogue launched its own digital project called "Dogue," dedicated to celebrity pets. According to Portnaya, Condé Nast’s use of the "Dogue" brand for their own dog-related content raised questions regarding market confusion and overlapping audiences.

Portnaya describes the situation as a fight for independent creativity: "Art and culture have always evolved through reinterpretation and dialogue. For me, this is a bigger fight: I am fighting not just for my own work and our community, but for other independent creators as well."

Condé Nast, for its part, maintains that it attempted to resolve the dispute amicably but was forced to take legal action to protect its intellectual property and the hard work of its team.

The creator of Dogue has already launched a fundraising campaign to cover legal expenses and intends to continue publishing. So far, $9,000 out of a $25,000 goal has been raised.