A new bill passed by the US Senate Judiciary Committee should help to protect our favorite handbag designers from those nasty knock-offs. The Innovative Design Protection and Piracy Prevention Act grants “unique and original designs” three years copyright protection.
Under the bill your average plain black tote probably wouldn’t be covered, but the Alexander McQueen hard case clutches with their skull clasps would likely be sufficiently unique and original. It’s a big step towards protecting the intellectual property rights of the world’s creative minds as it goes beyond existing laws, which we all know haven’t really worked.
The other aspect of the legislation that I love is the emphasis on the designers, rather than the consumers. While fashion houses must ensure their designs are unique, bagistas won’t be blamed for “accidental purchases” of knock-off goods. That’s good news for anyone who’s fallen for those ultra-cheap and oh so convincing imitations!
Do you think these regulations go far enough to protect intellectual copyright, or would you like to see more done to stamp out purse imposters?
[Image Source: Ben Schumin/Wikipedia Commons]
