Comments on: Fashion-Incubator: a good idea while it lasted

By: Beware the Design Piracy Prohibition Act (HR 2196) :: Clothing and Fashion :: Try Handmade

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:54:38 +0000

[...] inspiration from the public domain, can easily find himself/herself stuck in costly litigation. – Fashion Incubator via Boing [...]

By: Karin

Karin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:17:46 +0000

If I’m not wrong, Coco Chanel herself embraced ready to wear copies of her clothes. She regarded them as the best commercials for her designs, and realised that the people who bought her clothes would buy them anyway since the quality and fit was so much better then in the copies, and that the people who bought the copies still couldn’t affort the original. So for her it was a win-situation.
Quite clever, wasn’t it? Things are rarely as simple as them seem at first glance, I wish the american politicians will realise that.
And it would be a sad, sad bi-effect if fashion incubator disappeared, it would break my heart.
Good luck with the campaign!

By: leila shams

leila shams — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:57:07 +0000

Hi there, I worked in the corporate fashion world for years and believe the current system is already working. Basically big companies are scared spitless of being sued by anybody, from Louis Vuitton to a tiny indie brand, even Forever 21 is scared now. You might think they don’t care about knocking off the little guy, but the threat of a lawsuit coupled with bad publicity has them terrified. So most companies are now making sure their inspiration is not obvious and are copyrighting their original prints. Of course this copyrighting business is very time consuming and expensive, small brands will not want to do it. Trust me, it’s a nuisance for big companies too. But even without a copyright, under the current law if you create a print or artwork or lace layout that is exactly like someone else’s you can get sued. I have only seen a lawsuit succeed when both the body and the print, logo, or pattern is exactly the same. And I think this is fair. If you’ve seen the Foley and Corinna stuff knocked off by Forever 21 you know what I mean. Big companies generally don’t care to sue a small brand unless they’re knocking off the big brand’s identity. I see this legislation more as the high end runway people (CFDA) protecting themselves from the Forever 21s and H&Ms of the world. And I think the current notion, that it has to be an exact replica of the artwork coupled with the styling, where there is 0% doubt that the design has been stolen, is the only fair way to go. I really really don’t think they should pass this law, it’s causes agita for designers on both ends of the spectrum.

By: Susanne

Susanne — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:38:44 +0000

Jess,

Can you post your letter so the rest of us can use it as a form to be individually personalized. If it got you a response, maybe it will work for others.

By: Jess

Jess — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:59:54 +0000

I just received an interesting phone call from my House Rep. – Congressman Brad Ellsworth (IN) – I wrote him a very heartfelt and passionate letter opposing the DPPA, and he actually read my letter, and cared enough to have his personal assistant call me back about it. He says that it has not passed the House Judiciary Committee yet, so he has no way to affect the outcome at this point – however, he understands my position as a small business/design business here in Indiana, and wants me to know that if the bill does pass to the House, he will keep my position in mind when he votes. SO. That’s heartening that someone IS listening! I guess we just need to keep writing letters and making phone calls – people ARE listening! They also left me their phone number to call back if I have any additional questions or concerns. Hope? Yes.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:54:45 +0000

Hi Kathy, I’m so glad you left that comment! The petition site has been down for maybe two weeks now. I’d given up on it so I didn’t know it was up again. I knew the site was live tho because I’d asked the admin to correct a spelling mistake and they flubbed it substituting an “a”. So, I knew you’d seen the site recently. THANKS!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:15:07 +0000

I appreciate very much what you’re doing here, and have signed the petition. We will certainly see yet another US industry driven overseas if this bill passes, since it has no power over designers and pattern makers outside the US.

One other little thing. As an editor, I can’t help but notice a spelling error of importance in your petition. I would like gently to suggest that before submitting it to the House committee, you might want to correct the spelling of Prohibition. There is no “a”.

Way to get the word out!! Very glad to be a part of it.

By: Kelly Klem

Kelly Klem — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:51:29 +0000

Thank you for putting so much effort into this on all of our behalfs.

By: nicole

nicole — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:09:14 +0000

What would be another great idea, would be to send the first lady Michelle Obama an email regarding this issue. In Jessica’s comment to the congressman above (The president of CFDA herself DVF has been caught red handed) she listed a link to the story that was written.The story mentions that DVF and other favorite designers of the First Lady made their way to capital hill to speak on this issue.

So my point is, let the First Lady know what her favorite clothing designers are doing. Let her know that these same designers who are trying to pass this law, are the same people guilty of copycatting. Any, and everything is worth the try.

To contact the First Lady Michelle Obama, visit the White House Website, there is a link that will let you leave Mrs. Obama an email message. If possible foward Mrs. Obama the link so that she may read the story herself.

By: Glenda

Glenda — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:08:49 +0000

I tuly believe that clothing lines are not all individual ideas but the improvement of some ideas, not always the original idea. Many with great potential never get the training as the Big deisigners do and go to the homebased dressmakers business, where even when usuing a commercial patter it becomes the wearers design when fitted and the costumer who adds the adjustment or another unique idea making it original. I have seen many of what I consider MINE walking down the stret but I only make one of a kind so if you start making in mass production it really is not YOURs.