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Lost Surfboards founder Matt Biolos sues Lady Gaga for $100 million over Mayhem trademark

Mayhem vs. Mayhem: Lost Surfboards (left) sues Lady Gaga (right)

A legal storm is brewing between California surf icon Matt Biolos and global pop superstar Lady Gaga, centering on a single word: Mayhem.

Lost Surfboards, Biolos' decades-old surf brand, has slapped Gaga with a $100 million lawsuit, claiming she copied their signature logo for her new album and merchandise.

The clash is igniting surf media, mainstream media, and celebrity media, and neither side is backing down.

Biolos, nicknamed "Mayhem" since high school, first sketched the logo in 1986 for his punk band.

By 1987, it appeared on surfboards, evolving into a globally recognized symbol for his brand, ...Lost Surfboards.

The company, officially registered in 1991, now sells boards and apparel in over 30 countries and backs elite World Surf League (WSL) athletes like Griffin Colapinto and Caroline Marks.

Over the years, the logo has grown to represent not only surfboards but also a wide range of surf-related gear and apparel sold around the globe.

Similar If Not Indentical Logos

Their 2015 U.S. trademark solidified "Mayhem" as synonymous with Biolos' empire - until Lady Gaga's album Mayhem dropped earlier this year.

Gaga's album art and tour merchandise feature a jagged, arched "Mayhem" logo that Lost argues mirrors theirs "substantially similar if not nearly identical."

The surf company filed its lawsuit on March 25 in California federal court, alleging trademark infringement, false advertising, and unfair business practices.

Lost claims it warned Gaga's team with a cease-and-desist letter, which was ignored.

"Her actions are likely to mislead the public," the lawsuit states, arguing that fans might mistakenly link Gaga's merch to Lost's brand, risking the surf company's "valuable goodwill."

Gaga's attorney, Orin Snyder, fired back, calling the suit a "meritless abuse of the legal system" aimed at capitalizing on the singer's success.

Mayhem debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and its accompanying 32-date Mayhem Ball tour - kicking off July 16 in Las Vegas - promises a theatrical arena experience.

Business as Usual

Gaga teased the tour's rapid planning with Live Nation, skipping stadiums to "control the details."

Notably absent from the itinerary? Los Angeles - possibly due to her upcoming Coachella performances.

Biolos' camp isn't swayed by the album's success.

Lost's lawsuit underscores decades of brand-building through surf videos like "What's Really Goin' Wrong" (1995) and a loyal following shaped by team riders like Chris Ward and Cory Lopez.

The company, fresh off back-to-back wins in the WSL's Shaper Rankings, argues Gaga's logo - with its "scruffy, irregular font" - too closely echoes their own, risking consumer confusion.

As tickets for The Mayhem Ball go on sale on April 3, the legal battle escalates.

Lost seeks a jury trial and $100 million in damages, plus legal fees.

Gaga, meanwhile, remains defiant, telling Elle the album's creative chaos was a "labor of total love."

The singer, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, has actually been spotted surfing in the past.


Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com



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