Calling all in the fashion industry- is your brand protected?

With the fashion industry booming, there has never been a more important time to protect your brand.

Arguably, the fashion industry is the most competitive market in the UK, with billions of pounds being spend every year by customers who want to keep up with the latest trend or expand into different styles.

Competitiveness can be an important thing in such an industry to ensure everyone is working hard to give consumers the best quality and up to date clothing. However, it also can lead to goods be marketed and sold in bad faith, riding on the coat tails of more established brands to entice customers to buy the cheaper imitation of iconic designs.

 Because of this, intellectual property in the fashion industry has never been more important. A key area of intellectual property that can be the most effective tool in protecting your business is a registered trade mark. This allows you to create a monopoly over a word, picture or phrase which represents your business and gives you the power to prevent anyone else using it. This is the most cost effective way of protecting your brand from unauthorised use by a third party which could damage your reputation or have an impact on your consumer base.

The most recognisable fashion brands across the world all have a portfolio of registered trade marks to aid them in protecting the brand they create as well as ensure it keeps its prestigious status.

There is no better example than the most luxurious brand of them all, Louis Vuitton. Crowned the most powerful of luxury brands in recent years, the French fashion house has only gone from strength to strength through the boom to the fashion industry. With customer more eager than ever to keep up with fashion, luxury brands are creating more innovative designs to keep up with demand. What makes Louis Vuitton a leader in the industry is their focus on ensuring the right protection is in place. They have a number of trade marks registered in the European Union as well as through the international Madrid system. This gives a clear indication to all that they respect their brand and will not take kindly to any imitations. This attitude is a key factor to the achievement of their current brand value which is pegged at $28.4 billion. They would not have been able to build their business to this level without the aid of trade marks.

While your business may not be quite at this scale yet, preparing for the future and building the foundations for a successful brand starts now. By registering your brand as a start-up business, you are giving the impression that you are taking your venture seriously and wish to create a strong brand. This will also help you distinguish yourself from the market, making potential customers aware of your individuality.

The Trademarkroom are the experts you need to ensure you have a solid intellectual property profile. Don not hesitate to get in touch for more information and advice.

By Ellis Sweetenham