Events

Unzipped

Unzipped event announcement illustrated with pink smiley-face icon with an unzipped zipper for a moutn

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT AND REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
We look forward to seeing you at a future event!

Fashion is a regular subject of editorial critique, whether as art or commerce, but fashion houses and industry professionals who receive negative attention are unlikely to appreciate the media spotlight.  In extreme cases, fashion editors -- who rely on invitations, unlike restaurant or theater critics -- have been banned from runway shows.  Journalists and social media commenters have also been threatened with defamation and invasion of privacy claims by irate fashion designers, brands, and photographers, both in the U.S. and in other jurisdictions.  How do fashion critics balance access and candor, whether covering collections, reporting news, or analyzing the industry?  Do anti-defamation lawsuits have a chilling effect on expression?  Can anti-SLAPP laws balance free speech concerns?  Please join

  • Award-winning fashion journalist and author Teri Agins;
  • Lindsey Schuyler and Tony Liu, the duo behind Diet Prada (infamously sued by Dolce & Gabbana);
  • Italian attorney Marco Amorese;
  • Jeff Trexler, Fashion Ethics professor at Fordham and an expert on banned books; and
  • Professor Susan Scafidi, founder and director of the Fashion Law Institute,

for a Fashion Law Institute panel discussion, "Unzipped! Law and the Art of Speaking Truth to Fashion."

DATE: Thursday, November 9, 2023
TIME: 9:30-10:45am (continental breakfast at 9am)
PLACE: Fordham School of Law, 150 W.62nd St., New York, NY. 10023
NYS CLE: 1.5 hours professional practice, transitional and non-transitional

For more information about the Institute or the CLE hardship policy, please contact us at events@fashionlawinstitute.com.

Fashion Law Drafting

and

Fashion Law Drafting & Practicum

Applications for Fall 2025

 

Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2025 Fashion Law Drafting and Fashion Law Drafting & Practicum courses! The classroom component of these courses is shared and is scheduled for Mondays from 6:00-7:50pm.

 

Application instructions:  Submit your application below no later than Tuesday, April 29, at 5:00pm EST. The application should consist of a maximum 200-word statement of interest, a résumé, and a transcript. Applications sent after the due date will be given lowest priority.

 

Fashion Law Drafting (2 credits)
Description of course: This advanced seminar will develop students’ skills in drafting legal documents related to fashion law. Students will complete a series of drafting assignments of increasing complexity, such as a cease-and-desist letter, a licensing agreement, a retail lease, a manufacturing agreement, an employment agreement, a consignment agreement, articles of organization and an operating agreement for a limited liability company, a model release form, sweepstakes rules, website terms of use, and a privacy policy and/or a complaint, each related to an aspect of fashion law.

 

Administrative notes: By permission only. Prerequisite: At least one prior fashion law course or equivalent experience (specify in application). Students who have taken Fashion Law Drafting & Practicum OR Fashion Law Practicum may NOT enroll in Fashion Law Drafting.

 

Fashion Law Drafting & Practicum (3 credits)
Description of course: This advanced seminar, which consists of both a classroom component and a fieldwork placement, will develop students' skills in the practice of fashion law. As part of the classroom component of the course, students will complete a series of drafting assignments of increasing complexity, such as a cease-and-desist letter, a licensing agreement, a retail lease, a manufacturing agreement, an employment agreement, a consignment agreement, articles of organization and an operating agreement for a limited liability company, a model release form, sweepstakes rules, website terms of use, and a privacy policy and/or a complaint, each related to an aspect of fashion law. In addition to the classroom component of the course, each student will be assigned to fieldwork placement at a fashion house or other fashion-related company, nonprofit organization, or law firm with a substantial practice in the field of fashion law.

 

Administrative notes: By permission only. Prerequisite: At least one prior fashion law course or equivalent experience (specify in application).  The classroom component of this course is shared with Fashion Law Drafting. Students who have previously taken Fashion Law Drafting OR Fashion Law Practicum may NOT enroll in Fashion Law Drafting & Practicum.

 

All students who are provisionally accepted to Fashion Law Drafting & Practicum will initially be enrolled in Fashion Law Drafting (2 credits) by the registrar. Each student’s application will then be forwarded for consideration by a fieldwork supervisor – that is, a fashion house or other fashion-related company, nonprofit organization, or law firm with a substantial practice in the field of fashion law. Upon acceptance for a fieldwork placement, students’ registrations will be converted to Fashion Law Drafting & Practicum (3 credits). The law school cannot guarantee acceptance of a student into a fieldwork placement.

 

Students taking a clinic course or working (including at another internship) are advised against concurrently taking Fashion Law Drafting & Practicum due to the time commitment involved. (The fieldwork placement alone is typically 8-12 hours/week, according to the schedule set by the supervising company, organization, or firm; at a minimum it requires 42.5 hours of work over the duration of the semester as specified by the ABA – and usually many more.) Instead, consider Fashion Law Drafting, which shares the classroom component of this course but does not include a fieldwork placement.

 

Please do not attempt to contact the course instructors or potential internship sponsors during the selection process.  If you have questions, please contact Ariele Elia, ariele@fashionlawinstitute.com.

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Fashion Week Panel: Designing Diversity II

Gold ribbon and Fashion Law Institute needle-and-spool gavel logo

Fashion has taken strides toward greater racial diversity – but as we anticipated in our panel discussion last fall, the U.S. Supreme Court has effectively eviscerated affirmative action, a key civil rights tool for over half a century.  While the opinion addressed college admissions policies, its reasoning is far broader, and follow-on cases challenging corporate internships and scholarships are already on the horizon.  Could a pledge to stock more products from an underrepresented group, a hiring strategy intended to achieve racial or other forms of diversity, or a program of targeted support for minority designers now be considered unconstitutional?  How might the decision affect existing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs?  And what are the best legal and ethical strategies for collecting the dividends of diversity and promoting the full spectrum of style in light of the Court's decision?  Our panel of experts for "Designing Diversity after Affirmative Action, Part II" will discuss these questions and more.  Join us at the beginning of New York Fashion Week to celebrate the Fashion Law Institute's 13th anniversary and engage in one of our favorite roles:  cutting-edge analysis and constructive problem solving.

DATE: Friday, September 8, 2023
TIME: 9:30-10:45am (breakfast 9am)
PLACE: Fordham Law, 150  W. 62nd St., 2nd floor (Bateman Room)
NYS CLE: 1.5 hours Ethics and Professionalism, transitional and non-transitional

SPEAKERS:
Angie Byun, AB World
Hayley Macon, Endeavor
Jeff Trexler, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
Kenya Wiley, Georgetown University

MODERATOR:
Professor Susan Scafidi
Founder & Director, Fashion Law Institute

Due to the social significance of this topic, there is no required registration fee. Voluntary donations are welcome – and tax-deductible!

Register now!

Designing Diversity 2: After Affirmative Action

Gold ribbon and Fashion Law Institute needle-and-spool gavel logo

Fashion has taken strides toward greater racial diversity – but as we anticipated in our panel discussion last fall, the U.S. Supreme Court has effectively eviscerated affirmative action, a key civil rights tool for over half a century.  While the opinion addressed college admissions policies, its reasoning is far broader, and follow-on cases challenging corporate internships and scholarships are already on the horizon.  Could a pledge to stock more products from an underrepresented group, a hiring strategy intended to achieve racial or other forms of diversity, or a program of targeted support for minority designers now be considered unconstitutional?  How might the decision affect existing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs?  And what are the best legal and ethical strategies for collecting the dividends of diversity and promoting the full spectrum of style in light of the Court's decision?  Our panel of experts for "Designing Diversity after Affirmative Action, Part II" will discuss these questions and more.  Join us at the beginning of New York Fashion Week to celebrate the Fashion Law Institute's 13th anniversary and engage in one of our favorite roles:  cutting-edge analysis and constructive problem solving.

DATE: Friday, September 8, 2023
TIME: 9:30-10:45am (breakfast 9am)
PLACE: Fordham Law, 150  W. 62nd St., 2nd floor (Bateman Room)
NYS CLE: 1.5 hours Ethics and Professionalism, transitional and non-transitional

SPEAKERS:
Angie Byun, AB World
Hayley Macon, Endeavor
Jeff Trexler, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
Kenya Wiley, Georgetown University

MODERATOR:
Professor Susan Scafidi
Founder & Director, Fashion Law Institute

Register now!

Due to the social significance of this topic, there is no required registration fee. Voluntary donations are welcome – and tax-deductible!

Media Mentions 2023

2025 (selected) 

The fashion and beauty executive’s guide to dupes

Vogue Business, March 19, 2025

 

The big business of perfume dupes

Financial Times, March 17, 2025
 

‘Financial microaggressions’: why ‘pink tariffs’ hurt women more than men

The Guardian, March 17, 2025

 

Hispanic Executive, March 12, 2025
 

The Dems’ ‘Let’s All Wear Pink’ Stunt Fell Painfully Flat. Here’s Why.

Huffington Post, March 5, 2025

 

How Saint Laurent’s Big Bet on ‘Emilia Pérez’ Lost Its Luster

WWD, March 1, 2025

 

How Walmart and Amazon Fuel the Dupe Economy

Back Row, February 27, 2025
 

Kanye West’s Yeezy Site Now Has ‘Stores Coming Soon’ Message

WWD, February 13, 2025

 

Fashion Law Institute’s In-House Counsel Lays Their Cards On The Table

Look Online, February 11, 2025

 

‘I can’t order 100 pieces of junk for $15?’: How Trump’s tariff will hit fast-fashion devotees

The Guardian, February 5, 2025
 
 
Business of Fashion, February 4, 2025
 
 

What Could a TikTok Ban Mean for Fashion?

WWD, January 10, 2025
 
 
Vogue Business, January 7, 2025
 
 
Business of Fashion, January 3, 2025
 

Is It Ever OK to Go Barefoot in Public?

NY Times, December 16, 2024

 

Fast Fashion: A Holiday Shopper’s Dilemma
Fordham Now, December 6, 2024

 

Trump Won. So Shop Now.
Back Row, November 7, 2024

 

Trump’s Victory Has the Fashion Industry Asking: What Just Happened?
Business of Fashion, November 7, 2024

 

What Next After FTC Blocks Tapestry’s $8.5B Acquisition of Capri?
WWD, October 24, 2024

 

The Blocking of the Tapestry-Capri Merger Spells Trouble for American Fashion
Business of Fashion, October 24, 2024

 

Harris vs. Trump: What Fashion’s Future Looks Like Under the Next President
WWD, October 22, 2024

 

14th Annual Fashion Law Institute Symposium
Look Online, October 13, 2024

 

Who Gets to Own a Meme?
Business of Fashion, August 30, 2024

 

Interview with Professor Dr. Susan Scafidi, about Fashion Law
Faculdade de Direito UFRGS, August 12, 2024 

 

Nike Fires Warning Shot to Sneaker Artists With Trademark Suit
Bloomberg Law, July 22, 2024

 

How the FTC Could Complicate the Saks-Neiman’s Merger
WWD, July 18, 2024

 

Ewa Abrams appointed President of Kering Americas
Kering, July 15, 2024

 

Exploring the intersection between fashion and law
Lawyers Weekly, June 27, 2024

 

Red Fever
IMDB, June 26, 2024

 

How Short Is Too Short for a Skirt?
The New York Times, June 25, 2024

 

Why you might find two Louis Vuitton Stores on the Same Block
Marketplace, June 7, 2024

 

What can Fashion Brands do to Protect Themselves in the Secondhand Market? 
Fashionista, May 28, 2024

 

Stripes, Oh My!: Evaluating the Legacy of Star Athletica 7 Years Down the Line
Copyright Society, April 30, 2024

 

The Dream of ‘an American LVMH’ Dims With FTC Challenge to Tapestry and Capri Merger
WWD, April 29, 2024

 

In Michael Kors, Coach merger challenge, FTC’s case is not in the bag
Reuters, April 25, 2024

 

Chanel’s Latest Legal Battleground: Upcycling
Business of Fashion, April 19, 2024

 

When not landing a Birkin bag lands luxury brand Hermès a lawsuit: Here’s a closer look at the case
ABC News, April 6, 2024

 

China’s Gen Z workers are going ‘gross
Fortune, March 30, 2024

 

Who Gets to Buy a Birkin Bag? 
Business of Fashion, March 26, 2024

 

Has fashion canceled canceling?
New York Times, March 25, 2024

 

Consumers sue Hermès over barriers to buying Birkin bags
CBS News, March 23, 2024

 

‘Hermès has it in the bag’: Legal experts weigh Birkin lawsuit
The Washington Post, March 21, 2024

 

Here’s What You Get Wrong When You Culturally Appropriate Asian Fashion
Huffington Post, March 14, 2024

 

Nike’s Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Against Bape Is Moving Forward

WWD, March 6, 2024

 

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Faces New Allegations of Sexual Assault
WWD, February 27, 2024

 

Trump sneakers and those red soles
Bloomberg Law, February 29, 2024

 

The NFL’s (Belated) Legal Fit Check
Spy, February 14, 2024

 

Chanel wins trademark infringement case against What Goes Around Comes Around
Fashionista, February 7, 2024

 

Chanel Wins Trademark Case Against What Goes Around Comes Around
Business of Fashion, February 7, 2024

 

Face, detected: Is artificial intelligence (AI) a threat to fashion models?
Grazia, February 5, 2024

 

Chanel is taking What Goes Around Comes Around to court: Here’s what to know
Vogue Business, January 8, 2024

 

From Mickey to Bambi, why are all the new public domain characters showing up in horror?
Fast Company, January 5, 2024

 

2023 (selected) 

Shein accused of “mafia-style intimidation” in new lawsuit from Temu

CBS News, December 19, 2023

 

Shein IPO sends chill through sustainable fashion

Vogue Business, December 1, 2023

 

It Was the Year of Barbie Pink, But Whose Color Is It Anyway?

Vanity Fair, November 27, 2023

 

Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman hosts Fashion Law Institute Pop-Up Clinic

Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman, November 20, 2023

 

Model says her face was edited with AI to look white: ‘It’s very dehumanizing’

The Guardian, November 4, 2023

 

Spot the ‘superfake’: Fashion brands want you to be able to identify counterfeits

CNN, October 13, 2023

 

How Shein Wound Up in the Luxury Fashion Business

Business of Fashion, September 28, 2023

 

How Hollywood Stylists Can – and Just Might – Unionise

Business of Fashion, September 1, 2023

 

The Dangerous Marketing of the Trump Mug Shot

The New York Times, August 29, 2023

 

Are There Any Rules About Going Braless?

The New York Times, August 29, 2023

 

The Power of Consumers on Social Media: A Case Study of Balenciaga’s Crisis Communication

Springer, August 9, 2023

 

Where fashion is leading on US environmental policy – and where it’s falling behind Vogue Business, July 27, 2023

 

What if Fashion Went on Strike?

BOF, July 21, 2023 Shein Got Hit with a RICO Lawsuit. How Is That Possible?

Complex, July 18, 2023

 

Shein lawsuit accuses fashion-fashion site of RICO violations

CBS News, July 17, 2023

 

Shein’s Winding Path to an IPO

Business of Fashion, July 7, 2023

 

Fashion School Leaders Express Concern Over Supreme Court Affirmative Action Decision

WWD, June 29, 2023

 

What Happens When Designers Team Up With Shein

Business of Fashion, June 8, 2023

 

Why Gen-Z Loves Dupes

Business of Fashion, April 24, 2023

 

Supreme Court Puts Hold on Transgender Sports Ban

Bloomberg Law, April 13, 2023

 

Virtual try-on is being hit by class actions. Should brands worry?

Vogue Business, March 7, 2023

 

Why your employer can dress code you for being part of the no bra club

The U.S. Sun, February 24, 2023

 

The MetaBirkins Creator Isn’t Done Fighting Yet

Business of Fashion, February 22, 2023

 

What the Hermes MetaBirkins Victory Means for the NFT Market

Surface, February 9, 2023

 

Making Sense of the Hermes v. Rothschild Metabirkins Verdict

Fashionista, February 9, 2023

 

Hermes Won its Lawsuit Against Mason Rothschild. What Happens Now?

Retail Brew, February 9, 2023

 

Doja Cat and Kylie Jenner Go Wild at Paris Fashion Week

The Daily Beat, January 23, 2023

 

Designer Thom Browne bests Adidas in court battle of stripes

AP News, January 12, 2023

 

What are the Potential Outcomes of the Adidas vs. Thom Browne Lawsuit?

Fashion Network, January 11, 2023

13th Annual Symposium

Are you ready for a smart and intellectually sophisticated spring fling?  Although rough winds may yet shake the darling buds of May, the pandemic is so last season.  As we re-focus on cutting-edge legal issues of importance to the fashion industry, in subject areas as diverse as IP and AI, global trade, consumer protection regulation and legislation, and of course dress itself, it is clear that we are in a moment of renewal and regrowth – and one that will have significant impact. Please join us in person on Friday, April 28, for the 13th annual Fashion Law Institute symposium, a full day’s bouquet of sharing and discussion!

DATE: April 28, 2023
TIME: 9am-6pm
PLACE: Fordham Law School, 150 W. 62nd Street
NYS CLE: 6.0 hours total (5.0 professional practice, transitional & non-transitional, and 1.0 diversity, inclusion, and elimination of bias)

SPEAKERS:

  • Sana Ahmed, The Fashion Law Africa Summit
  • Claire Bing, Maesa
  • Michael Busiashvili, OX Fine Jewelry
  • Jana Checa Chong, Louis Vuitton
  • Sindy Ding-Voorhees, Kilpatrick Townsend
  • Ray DeForest/Doris Dear, award-winning drag icon/fashion influencer
  • Caen Dennis, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan
  • Julia Ensor, Federal Trade Commission
  • Kristin Garris, McCarter & English
  • David Horowitz, Media Coalition
  • Sydney Kipen, Gucci
  • Haley Macon, Endeavor
  • John Maltbie, Louis Vuitton
  • Walé Oyerinde, Atklás
  • Ashley Pusey, Maureen Data Systems
  • Tiffany Stevens, Jewelers Vigilance Committee
  • Professor Susan Scafidi, Fashion Law Institute
  • Jeff Trexler, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
  • Caitlyn Walsh, Chanel
  • Kenya Wiley, Georgetown University
  • Sara Yood, Jewelers Vigilance Committee

PANELS:

9am
Continental breakfast

9:20am
Welcome: Budding thoughts

9:30-10:30am
Cross-pollination: Global trade issues, from diamonds to TikTok

10:45am-11:45am
Cuttings: Intellectual property at the U.S. Supreme Court

12-1pm
Lunch: Edible arrangements

1-2:15pm
New varieties: AI, NFTs, technology, and fashion

2:30-3:30pm
Green: New trends in legislation and regulation

3:45-4:45pm
Thorny problems: Gender-specific dress codes and anti-drag laws

5-6pm
Reception: Garden party

This event will not be livestreamed, but if we are able to record individual panels, we will share the links afterward.

$ 0.00
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