"Vogue" against "Dogue" Fashion giant sues small dog magazine - and speaks of "irreparable damage"
The publisher Condé Nast is suing "Dogue" for alleged confusion with "Vogue". The publisher is fighting back - and speaks of a battle for independent creatives.
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- The publisher Condé Nast has filed a lawsuit against the small dog magazine "Dogue", alleging a deliberate risk of confusion with the fashion magazine "Vogue".
- "Dogue" founder Olga Portnaya rejects the accusations and sees the dispute as a fundamental fight for the creative freedom of independent artists.
- Condé Nast is demanding compensation and the destruction of all copies of "Dogue".
There is a magazine about fashion that is published eight times a year and sells more than 1 million copies per issue. It is called "Vogue".
There is a magazine about dog fashion that is published irregularly and sells about 100 copies per issue at a single newsstand in Beverly Hills, California. It is called "Dogue".
For three years, the two publications coexisted without any problems. Now Condé Nast, the publisher behind "Vogue", has filed a lawsuit against the small dog magazine.
The accusation: "Dogue" deliberately wanted to cause confusion and suggest a connection to "Vogue". According to the lawsuit, this would "probably cause irreparable damage" to the publisher.
"I also fight for other independent creatives"
Behind "Dogue" is graphic designer and photographer Olga Portnaya, who launched the magazine in 2021. She is astonished by Condé Nast's legal action. "Art and culture have always evolved through reinterpretation and dialog," she told the New York Times. For her, the dispute goes beyond her own project: "I'm not just fighting for my own work and our community, but also for other independent creatives."
The case also has a certain irony. "Vogue" itself published a digital "Dogue" issue in August 2024, in which the dogs of celebrities were portrayed. The editor responsible was Chloe Malle, who was appointed editor-in-chief of "Vogue" last fall. A second "Dogue" issue followed in summer 2025.
According to Condé Nast, the publisher tried several times to reach an out-of-court settlement with Portnaya before filing a lawsuit. According to the New York Times, Condé Nast sent her a cease-and-desist letter in October 2025 and asked her to rename her magazine. The publisher also filed an objection to the trademark application for "Dogue", which Portnaya had filed in 2022 and which is still pending.
At its core, the dispute revolves around one central question: how great is the actual risk of confusion between "Vogue" and "Dogue"? Could readers really believe that the small dog magazine is a product of the fashion giant?
At least Condé Nast is convinced of this. The publisher is claiming damages of an unknown amount - and is also demanding that all copies of "Dogue" be handed over for destruction.
Portnaya, in turn, has launched an appeal for donations to cover the legal fees.
