Thursday, March 3, 2011

From Runway to Realway - Is It A Steal?

Since I'm on the topic of red carpet looks this week,
I thought that this video was interesting.


Do you think that legislation should be passed to allow fashion designer's runway and red carpet looks to not be copied for 3 years?
Is is true that allowing for these iconic looks to be reproduced for the hoi polloi is causing a dearth of fashion innovation?
Does the design for a wrap dress constitute intellectual property?
And honestly, is anything that you see on the runway really new?

Don't get me wrong. 
I'm against all brand counterfeiting from fake Hermes Birkins to fake VCA Alhambras.
But if Verdura created the curb chain bracelet for Greta Garbo in 1939, does that mean that I can never wear a curb chain bracelet by any other designer or by no designer at all?
Especially given that the look is now generic.

And what constitutes a true original design in fashion?
We've seen trains and veils and mermaid hems, bustles and bows, long and short, structured and unstructured...ad infinitum. I just don't know where you draw the line at original.

And did the Diva of the wrapdress, Diane von Furstenberg, help herself to an iconic design by Claire McCardell.
I don't know the answer to any of this, but I'm not sure that new legislation is needed.

What do you think?
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2 comments:

LPC said...

I think legislating this would be the death of it.

SewingLibrarian said...

While I sympathize with designers who see their creations ripped off by fast fashion companies, I don't think a solution can be legislated. The courts would decide how much of a dress was original?? And who has more money to fight in court, Thakoon or Forever 21? Exactly. (I'll exempt DVF from that equation because of her husband's money.)

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