I was interested to hear on a radio programme (BBC R4 You & Yours) recently a discussion about Fashion Week London. The comments that caught my ear were around the creativity of students and young designers and the value of the show as a place to display their work.
There was a discussion around the speed at which designs were being copied, but rather than hear it condemned in the way that discussions around software and music revolve, the 'borrowing' of ideas in fashion for use in low priced versions for the high-street was referred to as 'interpreting' a style rather than theft.
At a time when the Creative Commons license model is under attack as *not being* in the interests of those who choose to use it and they shouldn't have the choice to 'give-away' their IP, I find the position of the high street fashion retailers refreshing.
I support Open Source and believe it should be the choice of 'creators' to monetize their work as they wish, without creativity where would the world be. If Shakespeare had managed to lock the story of Romeo & Juliet down as tightly as Disney would now then Hollywood, schools and authors would have no stories.
20 Dec 2010 Update: on the same programme today, a discussion on 'FairIsle Sweaters' was conducted. The possible ways of restricting the use of this term, and also relating to 'Harris Tweed' and High street fashion IP issues, were discussed.
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