Fashion law: legal assistance for brands, designers and fashion businesses

In fashion, much of a company's value lies in what cannot be touched: the brand, the style, the creations, the reputation. Protecting them, and building solid contracts along the entire supply chain, is what allows a brand to grow without losing what makes it recognisable.

The lawyer Gabriele Lanzi teaches Fashion business law at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Florence. He assists emerging designers, start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, artisan workshops, showrooms and distributors in fashion, accessories and luxury, in Italy and abroad.

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Protecting your brand and creations

• Trademarks: clearance searches before choosing a name, registration in Italy, the European Union and internationally, trademark portfolio management and oppositions against similar marks.

• Designs: registration of garments, accessories, footwear, jewellery and patterns; protection of unregistered Community designs, useful for seasonal collections.

• Copyright: protection of drawings, prints, photographs, lookbooks and creative content; assignment and licensing of rights with designers, photographers and illustrators.

• Counterfeiting and slavish imitation: cease-and-desist letters, injunctions and interim measures, seizure of products, customs measures to block counterfeit goods; action against copies, “dupes” and look-alike products, including on grounds of unfair competition.

• Online brand protection: domain names, social media accounts and marketplaces, takedown of counterfeit listings and unauthorised use of the brand.

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Fashion supply chain contracts

The Firm drafts, reviews and negotiates the contracts that take a product from concept to end customer:

• collaboration agreements with designers and creative directors, with particular attention to ownership of the creations;

• manufacturing and subcontracting agreements with workshops and contract manufacturers: quality, delivery times, confidentiality of designs, ban on producing for third parties;

• supply agreements for fabrics, leather, components and accessories;

• trademark licences and co-branding and brand collaboration agreements;

• agency, distribution, showroom and franchising, including with foreign partners;

• retail and wholesale agreements, department store concessions and corners;

• contracts with models, photographers and creatives for shoots, fashion shows and campaigns, including image rights;

• non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to protect collections and projects before launch.

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Influencer marketing and communication

• Contracts with influencers, creators and ambassadors: fees, exclusivity, content, usage rights, transparency obligations and penalties.

• Transparent advertising: compliance with the rules on disclosure of sponsored content and the new rules on commercial campaigns linked to charitable initiatives.

• Protecting the brand's reputation against disparaging or misleading content online.

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E-commerce, data and artificial intelligence

• General terms of sale for online shops and marketplaces, right of withdrawal, warranties and returns.

• Privacy and GDPR: privacy notices, customer data management, newsletters and loyalty programmes.

• Artificial intelligence: use of AI tools to create collections, images and campaigns, with attention to ownership of the results, third-party rights and transparency obligations.

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Made in Italy and sustainability

• Indications of origin: correct use of the “Made in Italy” and “100% Made in Italy” labels and of composition labels.

• Green claims: review of environmental and sustainability claims, to avoid greenwashing challenges under the new European rules.

• Responsible supply chain: clauses on traceability, working conditions and compliance with environmental rules in contracts with suppliers and contract manufacturers.

• Starting a business: choice of company structure, founders' agreements and organisation of the brand from the outset.

Litigation

When negotiation is not enough, the Firm represents clients in trademark, design, copyright and unfair competition proceedings before the Specialised Business Sections of the Italian courts, and in contractual disputes with suppliers, contract manufacturers, distributors and customers, including the recovery of unpaid debts. Where appropriate, it proposes mediation or arbitration, which are faster and confidential.

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Our approach

• Industry knowledge: teaching Fashion business law at IED keeps the Firm in daily contact with the dynamics, timelines and language of fashion.

• Prevention first: registering a trademark or drafting a sound manufacturing contract costs far less than a counterfeiting lawsuit or a collection delivered late.

• International outlook: the Firm works with Italian and foreign clients and collaborates with interpreters, legal linguists and colleagues abroad.

• Transparent fees: before work begins you receive a written estimate. To find out more, see the Professional feespage.

Contact us

Are you launching a brand, about to sign a contract with a manufacturer, or have you found copies of your products? Contact Studio legale Lanzi for an assessment of your situation.

Write to us from the Contact page