AIPPI 2016: Fashion and IP in focus

"IP should be seen as an investment, not a waste of money,” said Hermes’ intellectual property director at yesterday’s 'IP and Fashion: protect your style' session at the 2016 World AIPPI Congress in Milan.

In a session moderated by Aurelia Marie from Cabinet Beau de Lomenie, four speakers talked about the different perspectives of protecting fashion with IP in their regions.

The session consisted of four speakers: Pravin Anand from Anand & Anand, representing India, Christopher Carani from McAndrews, Held & Malloy, representing the US, Nicolas Martin from Hermes, representing France, and Federica Zambelli from Moncler, representing Italy.

It started with Carani making a comparison of two similar dresses, one by fashion designer Marc Bouwer, and a cheaper version.

He explained the US standpoint on all IP protection, ie, trademarks, design patents, copyright, trade dress and utility patents.

"Trademark is often the first line of defence," Carani explained.

He raised a challenge regarding copyright: "Copyright is a viable option, however in the US useful articles are not protected by copyright. Unfortunately, purses, clothes and shoes also fall into the category of useful articles."

Martin explained France's take on protecting fashion with IP: "France's approach to protecting IP is to check all products which go onto the market."

Zambelli agreed with the statement on investment made by Martin, noting that: "IP must not be seen as a cost, rather as an investment."

The main approach which Moncler takes to protecting its IP is to "build an internal IP culture”.

She added: "We focus a lot on giving internal training to our teams so they can be aware of the IP when products are in the process of creation."

This approach allows the company to protect its own IP as well as avoid infringement of others’.

Anand said that the best way to go is to protect “as much IP as possible".

The 2016 AIPPI World Congress ends today.