Category Archives: Fashion

Fish Net Stockings Banned

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Sometime ago the Wall Street Journal law blog discussed whether associates [at law firms] are too freewheeling with fashion [1] following the publication of this article. [2]

Now, it appears that a law firm in London has banned its staff from wearing fishnet stockings, because employees find them “distracting”. [3]

Responses to this [4] seem to vary from:

What a total load of tosh – it’s all about their inadequacies, not yours! My male partners openly coo when I’m wearing Jimmy Choos, short skirts and nicely cut tops as it all reinforces the image they wish to project about themselves, the people they work with and the quality of bird they’ve attracted to the partnership. The fishnets though makes them feel uncomfortable – one step too close to their perceptions of tartiness!
Posted by: City Woman on 03 Apr 2008

to

Fishnet stockings? Are you out of your mind?? Which law firm do you work for? Soho Working Girls LLP? If you want to recognised for your legal skills rather than your ability to lie on your back, stop being so stubborn.
Posted by: Investment Banker on 03 Apr 2008

I’m not entirely certain I understand why fish net stockings have specifically been banned but although I’d love to wax eloquent about the importance of freedom and choice, I’m not sure whether everything is acceptable work wear or if a line should be drawn somewhere (though presumably not at fish net stockings — yeah, I like them though I can’t remember the last time I wore a pair; for some reason I usually get stuck in plain brown or beige ones.)

A while ago I heard of an Indian IT company banning gaudy Indian clothes from being worn at the office. Considering that a large fraction of Indian clothes are, well, loud, I’m not sure how that worked out.

Links:
[1] blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/01/31/are-associates-too-freewheeling-with-fashion/
[2] online.wsj.com/article/SB120175142140831193.html
[3] timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/rod_liddle/article3689757.ece
[4] legalweek.com/Navigation/28/Articles/1112050/Career+Clinic+Management+says+my+fishnets+are+a+distraction!.html

Victoria’s Secret Accused of Stealing a Design

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Katerina Plew, 38, a paralegal, has claimed that Victoria’s Secret stole and mass-produced the ‘Very Sexy 100-Way Strapless Convertible Bra’ which she designed and had registered via United States Patent No. 6,733,362 in May 2004.

I’m not sure why she got a patent for the design but if she did, she’s entitled to protect it.

But seriously, why is a bra with more hooks than normal patentable? Don’t see too much novelty or innovation there. Or perhaps I’m just missing the point — I haven’t seen the bra itself.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article3799389.ece

IP in the Design of a Dress

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I just came across a reference to this case in two media reports [1], [2]. I couldn’t find the actual judgment although I have to admit that I didn’t spend too much time searching for it. The report in the SMH says:

“The case has ended with a victory – and an award of $17,500 damages – for Melbourne fashion label Review over the Sydney company behind fashion labels Charlie Brown and Lili.

Justice Christopher Jessup found that the Lili dress sold in Sydney had been copied from the Review dress.”

Links:

[1] http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/what-the-frock-a-designers-costly-dressing-down/2008/03/08/1204780131643.html

[2] http://www.smh.com.au/news/life–style-home/the-fashion-swindle/2008/03/08/1204780127303.html

Protecting the Kilt

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Sometime ago, I wrote about the possibility of extending copyright protection to designer clothes. Now, The Independent reports that the Scots are trying to protect the Scottish Kilt:

“The campaign is the idea of an Edinburgh-based kilt-maker, Howie Nicholsby, who, exasperated by the influx of cheap, foreign imports calling themselves Scottish kilts, got in touch with the Scottish Member of European Parliament Alyn Smith to see if they could persuade the European Commission to give the Scottish kilt protected designation of origin (PDO) status.“

The protected designation of origin status is usually used to protect food though under EEC regulation 2081/92.

Copyrighting Clothes

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The US Senate and Congress have both been discussing extending special copyright protection to the fashion industry — an industry which thrives on the lack of copyright protection in several ways. And guess what one of the reasons they supposedly need copyright protection is: to ensure that terrorists don’t win. :) If there’s one thing no one can accuse Washington of, it’s inconsistency.

Links:
[1] http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080215/135455266.shtml
[2] http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20070810/030915.shtml
[3] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/09/fashion/09ROW.html?ex=1344398400&en=1075a5b43c787fd8&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink