Edition 50, October 2007

Fashion Rules - intellectual property protection for the fashion industry

The Australian Government has launched Fashion Rules, a project designed to get the intellectual property message out into the clothing and fashion design industry so that designers have a better chance of protecting their work.

A registered design allows the owner to benefit from their creativity and can prevent design theft.

Fashion Rules was developed by IP Australia (the government agency responsible for administering the intellectual property system in Australia), in collaboration with the Australian Fashion Council and the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia. Resources include the Fashion Rules website and a booklet.

When people consider the assets of a business, they tend to think only about physical items such as equipment, facilities, buildings and people. But intellectual property is also a very valuable asset, especially in the highly competitive fashion industry, and an important differentiating factor between designers.

IP Australia can provide useful information for people:

  • seeking formal protection via patents, trade marks, designs and plant breeder's rights
  • disputing or opposing a patent, trade mark or design
  • researching existing intellectual property documents and searching patents, trade marks, designs or plant breeder's rights databases
  • interested in promoting the subject within their organisation.

For more information and to request a copy of the Fashion Rules booklet, visit Fashion Rules at www.ipfashionrules.gov.au/site/home.php

For more information about intellectual property, visit IP Australia at www.ipaustralia.gov.au

This page was generated on 18 February, 2010