Will Designers' Anti-Piracy Efforts Put A Crimp In Cheap Chic?

The New York Times:

A debate is raging in the American fashion industry over such designs. Copying, which has always existed in fashion, has become so pervasive in the Internet era it is now the No. 1 priority of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which is lobbying Congress to extend copyright protection to clothing. Nine senators introduced a bill last month to support the designers. An expert working with the designers' trade group estimates that knockoffs represent a minimum of 5 percent of the $181 billion American apparel market.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[RandyRosenthal]

11:21 PM on 09/07/2007

There is a vast difference between counterfeit clothing and accessories and look-alike (but not exactly) knockoffs. The former is pure thievery and the latter is the heart of the engine that drives the fashion industry. What if Levi's were able to copyright denim jeans?

[Fire]

10:33 PM on 09/05/2007

Are the clothes made out of recycled Usher CDs?

[scoopdjour]

08:22 AM on 09/05/2007

It's all to distract us from what's really going on.
We think it's a free country, but we're really just consumer-bots, texting instead of conversing intelligently, training our children to be little Britney and Paris clones.
The directive is, "Want crap, buy crap, want more..."
What would happen if we all woke from our stupor?

[ImmanuelGoldstein]

01:17 PM on 09/08/2007

Our economy would collapse. It's based on constant expansion of consumption.

[mrcontinental]

02:00 PM on 09/04/2007

Why in the hell would any piece of fabric cost $50,000 or in many cases more to start with.

More greedy people with an overinflated ego these fashion designers.

And people worship the skinny trollops who parade around in these rags like that's a talent. I simply don't get it.

And this is what they discuss in the Senate these days? We are truly doomed as a society and nation.

[dadw5boys]

07:31 PM on 09/07/2007

They are trying to copyright that PRINT design that is transferred to fabric. Like copyrighting a peice of art work.