Knock off brands5/18/2023 ![]() ![]() It's in this gray area that fast-fashion brands often thrive. The reality is, in most cases, it's perfectly legal to knock off a dress design." "It makes for a pretty messy and not straightforward reality. "And so, a dress, a shoe, a bag, copyright law forces a brand that wants to claim protection to show the creative elements of this larger garment and separate them out," Zerbo said. ![]() If it sounds confusing, that's because it is - even for the professionals. But they can copyright the creative aspects of their work that make it different from the norm, such as a unique pattern. For example, designers could not claim protection for any and all sweaters simply because they happen to make sweaters. Generally speaking, that means a designer is unable to claim broad protections for articles of clothing that serve a basic function. When it comes to fashion, copyright law can leave little protection for creators.įor starters, the law doesn't allow companies to copyright "useful things, at least not in their entirety," Julie Zerbo, the lawyer and journalist behind The Fashion Law blog, told NPR. Copies are often legal in the fashion world A marketing agency that works with the brand also did not return requests for comment. Shein did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Artists have reported having their original works reproduced without permission, as have designers who create enamel pins and earrings. The designer behind Sincerely RIA, a brand inspired by Fulani culture, tweeted last month that Shein had copied the design of a dress and had even " the brand's aesthetic." Reclamare PH, another crochet designer, said on Instagram that Shein had copied one of its pieces and asked followers to boycott the company. It's a sentiment other creators have echoed. It’s quite disheartening to see my hard work reduced to a machine made copy. Spent hours designing and brainstorming this design and it takes days to crochet each sweater. Tonight I feel crushed, has stolen my Amelia sweater design. It's quite disheartening to see my hard work reduced to a machine made copy," the designer wrote on Twitter. "Spent hours designing and brainstorming this design and it takes days to crochet each sweater. Shein's offering, mass-produced in the nearly identical color scheme, was sold for $17 until it was removed from the website. The designer behind Elexiay, a Black-owned fashion brand, said on Twitter last week that Shein had copied the design of its Amelia top, a crochet sweater that's handmade in Nigeria and costs $330. In addition to the steep environmental cost associated with fast fashion, Shein is also routinely criticized for copying designs from indie designers. Shein may have the fast-fashion market cornered, but a growing number of its customers are calling for increased accountability from the company as indie designers continue to accuse it of ripping off their work.Īs the most-installed shopping app in America, Shein has become an e-commerce giant, one that's particularly popular with Generation Z.īut its growth has not been without controversy. Katja Knupper/Die Fotowerft/DeFodi Images via Getty Images Shein has become the most-installed shopping app in America. A Shein app, here in a photo illustration, in the IOS App Store in Bargteheide, Germany. ![]()
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