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Inspirational Photo of the Day

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Inspirational Photo of the Day

A SIGNATURE COLOR

The saga of the Christian Louboutin lawsuit for trademark infringement continued this week as the case was brought in front of a federal appellate court. Louboutin, who trademarked the red sole, known to fashion lovers everywhere, argues that four styles of YSL shoes from a 2011 collection infringed on that trademark. Louboutin filed an injunction, requesting that YSL cease selling the shoes until the matter was settled but Judge Victor Marrero rejected Louboutin's request, stating that color "serves ornamental and aesthetic functions vital to robust competition."

The seeming shrug-off of the injunction highlights the law's lack of conviction when it comes to fashion trademarking. The Supreme Court has found that a color can be trademarked when that color serves to identify the maker of a product (that case dealt with the color of pads used on dry cleaning press machines), but it is unlikely that Louboutin will be given a monopoly on red soles. One of the issues of this case is whether or not the color is functional, an aesthetic option, meaning all designer should have access to it, or whether this specific use of color is like a branding logo.

There is a bill waiting for congressional approval that may afford designers more coverage under copyright law, but until then, it is up to the courts to judge based on current statues and precedence, which recognize designs not for the designs themselves, but for their representation of a designer. What do you think should or will be the future of fashion design copyright law?

Inspirational Photo of the Day

A BOOM'S ON THE WAY- NAVIGATING THE FOUNDING OF AN E-COMMERCE SITE

We just read a fantastic piece about the trials and tribulations of starting and funding an e-commerce site. Business of Fashion has done a fantastic job of pointing out that e-commerce is bound to boom any day now, while also highlighting the catch-22 that e-commerce companies often find themselves stuck with; needing funding to have a breadth of merchandise and a wide-reaching platform, but needing that breadth and reach in order to find funding. Here at AFINGO and at our sister site ShopToko we know all too well the careful planning it takes to launch any sort of web-based venture and are so pleased to see BoF exploring it.

In the first bubble of e-commerce, at the turn of the 21st century, a few vastly funded failures scared off many venture firms, "But on closer inspection, e-commerce has also faced additional complexities and capital inefficiencies that, for years, continued to push investors away." This article explains those complexities and is a must read for anyone who plans to embark on the road of e-commerce.

OUR CEO ON THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS

Our esteemed CEO, Liza Deyrmenjian, is once again spreading the word on how to embark on entrepreneurial pursuits and navigating the world of manufacturing. She spoke on Women Entrepreneurs Radio recently, discussing everything from consumer views of manufacturing to the online wholesale venture ShopToko to the value of social media, and so much more. To listen to the interview click here.

Inspirational Photo of the Day

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