Fashion designers find plagiarism difficult to tackle; masterclass will help bell the copycats

The masterclass will involve senior and junior designers, legal representatives, officials and brands.

By ET Bureau | Jul 03, 2019, 08.24 AM IST

Friends of Rohit Bal (L) recently called out Delhi-based designer Samant Chauhan (R) for plagiarising his tiered dress (Chauhan and his supporters claimed it was actually a traditional Arab jelabiya).

By Shashi Sunny

Imitation, they say, is the best form of flattery. But try telling that to fashion designers like Rohit Bal who are constantly battling copycats.

Case in point: Bal’s friends recently called out Delhi-based designer Samant Chauhan for plagiarising his tiered dress (Chauhan and his supporters claimed it was actually a traditional Arab jelabiya). The incident snowballed into an online controversy and it was yet another reminder of the recurring problem in the fashion industry.

While designers like Ritu Kumar, Rahul Mishra, Suneet Varma and Tarun Tahiliani have also stepped up the heat against copycats, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has decided to conduct a masterclass on plagiarism.

The masterclass, expected to be held this month, will involve senior and junior designers, legal representatives, officials and brands.

“When there were just 10 designers, plagiarism was a non-issue. Now, there are hundreds of new designers and thousands of apprentices, so it has become a pressing issue,” says Sunil Sethi, chairman, FDCI.

Sunil Sethi advocates the formation and implementation of stringent laws.

Sethi believes it’s time to have a policy on inspiration with due credit, registration trademarks and patents.

Designer David Abraham, of the brand Abraham & Thakore, agrees. “Plagiarism is difficult to tackle. Designers neither have the finances nor the time to handle protracted legal cases. A masterclass is a good idea especially if they can set up a legal cell to counter outright fakes and help designers get support under the intellectual property rights (IPR) laws.”

In a market that thrives on selling fakes and copies, Sethi advocates the formation and implementation of stringent laws. “Creative designers, unless backed by a professional organisation, don’t want to spend their time and money and get into legal hassles recording every design and silhouette they create. Designers feel let down by the system and then they blame IPR law, bad implementation or the FDCI,” he says.

Safir Anand, an IPR lawyer, says that the masterclass will allow the designers to understand what’s right or wrong, what could be protected and what could constitute a concern.

Lakmé Fashion Week 2019: Bebo, KJo, PV Sindhu Set The Ramp On Fire

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The much-awaited Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) Summer Resort 2019 was all about elegance, glamour and grace.

The fashion extravaganza witnessed summer and spring collections from well-known designers like Gaurav Gupta, Anita Dongre, Ajay Kumar Singh, Bobo Calcutta, Helena Bajaj Larsen & Yavi.

Big names from the Tinsel Town like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anil Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut, Vidya Balan, Karan Johar, Tabu, Mouni Roy, among other, turned showstoppers for designers at the five-day long event.

Here's a look at other celebs from the B-town who set the ramp on fire.

(In pic from left: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karan Johar, PV Sindhu)