Trademark Protection in Luxury Fashion Branding

People know that luxury brands are high-quality, rare, and prestigious. Luxury brands need to protect their trademarks, which include logos, slogans, and unique signs, to keep their brand value and reputation safe. Brand perception is very important in the fashion industry, and protecting a trademark is not only the law but also good business. For students at Presidency School of Design, Presidency University, understanding the intersection of fashion, law, and intellectual property is vital to building a sustainable and ethical design career. 

Luxury brands can register their trademarks in more than one place to make it harder for people to copy them. This includes logos (like Nike) and brand names (like Adidas). Some high-end brands have certain colours that are their trademarks, like Tiffany's blue. At Presidency University, design students are taught to recognize how visual elements translate into valuable intellectual property assets. 

Licensing agreements let luxury brands make more products while still keeping control of the trademark and how it is used. It is necessary to keep an eye on the unauthorised use of the trademark, including on e-commerce sites. AI algorithms and other advanced tools are being used to quickly track and report unauthorised uses, which makes it easier to protect intellectual property rights. 

Disputes are common in the luxury world. Most legal battles focus on logo similarities, design plagiarism, or unauthorized use of famous brand elements. Cases like Louis Vuitton vs. Warner Brothers (2011), Christian Louboutin vs. Yves Saint Laurent (2011), and Burberry vs. Target (2018) are landmark examples discussed in IP-focused courses at the Presidency School of Design, illustrating the importance of trademark awareness from a designer’s perspective. 

The counterfeiting industry has grown into a billion-dollar business that is good at getting fake goods into the market. Luxury brands fight counterfeiting by suing, working with the government, and using new technologies like RFID and block chain. They also make people more aware of the dangers of fake goods.  

For emerging designers at Presidency University, learning about trademark law is more than academic—it’s about understanding how to protect creativity in a global market. Trademarks ensure uniqueness, defend originality, and uphold the integrity of luxury brands in an industry that thrives on distinction. In the fast-changing fashion landscape, trademark literacy is not optional—it’s empowering. 

Written by, 

Ms. Saumya Verma 

Presidency School of Design