WELL DRESSED

Thanks to all of our participants for a wonderful event! 

3nd annual Fashion Law Institute symposium

Friday, April 19, 2013

Looking for the substance behind the style?  Join the Fashion Law Institute for our 3rd annual symposium, “Well Dressed,” an all-day event on Friday, April 19, at Fordham Law School.

SOLD OUT!

9:30am     Welcome!

9:45-10:45am     Well Spoken:  Litigating the Fashion Law Case, in Court and in the Public Eye

Photographers’ flashes can be as blinding outside the courtroom as they are on the runway when the docket is focused on fashion.  Litigating a high-stakes, high-interest case involves more than just legal prowess.  It requires a carefully crafted public relations campaign designed to navigate the 24-hour news cycle and the patience to explain complex legal questions to both the judge and the media-hungry public, thus bridging two worlds, one in black robes and the other in little black dresses.

11am-12pm     Wishing Well: Exploring the Fashion/Philanthropy Connection

Whether via a runway show, a special sale, or a product promoting a cause or supporting an organization, the fashion industry is particularly eager to give back to those in need and advance the public good.  Sometimes otherwise unrelated philanthropic efforts also turn to fashion as a means to create employment or draw attention to a social issue.  But even helping humanity requires paperwork.  From advertising to tax returns, it’s important that those who do good know how to do it well.

12-1:30pm     Lunch (Well seasoned, we hope!)

1:30-2:30pm     Well Done! Eco-Chic, FTC Guidelines, and What it Means to Be Green

The Pantone color of the year for 2013 may be emerald, but green fashion isn’t just a color trend – it’s an ethical choice by designers who are embracing a sustainable approach to fashion without sacrificing style.  Recently, the Federal Trade Commission updated its Green Guides, which provide instruction as to when products and advertisements may include words, certifications, and claims about the environment.  How can fashion houses continue to go green, and how can they share that commitment with the public?

2:45-3:45pm     Well Made: Fashioning the Supply Chain

Every season consumers rush to stores in search of the latest fashions, often with little attention to how the garments they buy are actually made. Now and then, however, a tragedy occurs, and reports of child labor, low wages, and hazardous sweatshop conditions make headlines. These reports are even more troubling when the clothing factories involved have been inspected and certified as complying with international labor standards.  What can we – fashion houses, standards-setting organizations, governments, the public – do to monitor the supply chain?                         

4-5pm    Well Proportioned: 3D Printing, Law, and the Future of Fashion

Just spilled wine on your new Spring 2025 jacket? No problem – just print out a new outfit. Even now, in its early stages, 3D printing is lauded as the future of fashion. It has the potential to spark innovation, encourage sustainability, and promote accessibility to new styles.  But like the photocopier and the internet in previous generations, this new technology also raises questions for those in the creative, manufacturing, and business sectors of the fashion industry. What are the legal dimensions of the 3D revolution?

5-6pm    Reception:  All’s Well That Ends Well

Speakers include Carmen Artigas, Viva La Vida NY; Francis Bitonti, Francis Bitonti Studio; Allen Bromberger, Perlman & Perlman; Christopher R. Chase, Frankfurt Kurnit; Christie Daly, Social Accountability International; Louis S. Ederer, Arnold & Porter; Chris Giglio, HL Group; Eric Gottwald, International Labor Rights Forum; Steven Greenhouse, New York Times; Jyotin Hamid, Debevoise & Plimpton; Hugh Hansen, Fordham; Mary Huang, Continuum Fashion; Michael Kelly, Kenyon & Kenyon; Laura Kim, Federal Trade Commission; John M. Kline, Georgetown; Steven Kolb, CFDA; Harley Lewin, McCarter & English; Diana Mao, Nomi Network; Joseph F. Murphy, Law Offices of Joseph F. Murphy; Organic by John Patrick; Britton Payne, 30Ninjas; Rachel Rigby, U.S. Department of Labor; Susan Scafidi, Fashion Law Institute at Fordham; Michael Schmidt, Michael Schmidt Studios; Duann Scott, Shapeways; Robert D. Stang, Husch Blackwell; Alexandra Steigrad, WWD; Rachelle Stern, Macy’s; Jeff Trexler, Esq.