Henry Holland warns young designers of IP theft risk ahead of London Fashion Week
UK clothing designer Henry Holland has warned young designers to be on guard and protect their intellectual property (IP) as the threat from counterfeiters, particularly in China, continues to grow.
Holland, who owns the eponymous House of Holland fashion range, said it was an "important" time to raise awareness of the issue, which affects his business, as London Fashion Week kicks off.
"We’re considered the most creative Fashion Week around the world and the problem that you have as a small designer and a small company is that the big companies and the counterfeiters are able to manufacture and distribute your product before you’re able to do that yourself. It might get to a point where there are copies of your catwalk pieces in stores around the world before you’ve actually managed to deliver yourself."
House of Holland's eyewear line is an area of the business which has most prominently been affected by IP theft in China, with counterfeiters promoting goods on social media as genuine House of Holland products.
"It definitely has an impact on our business because people are selling the exact frames and the exact same colours for less than half the price.
"With a lot of larger stores, for example Gallery Lafayette Beijing, they won't accept our collections without full proof of us having a registered trademark. Its very tricky because its expensive to register IP in every territory that you export to and every category that you manufacture products in."
Sally Britton, IP lawyer from Mishcon de Reya, who advises fashion designers globally, said the threat from China comes as online retail "blurs lines between rights and wrongs of infringement".