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Fashion
Where Creativity Meets Commerce — Legal Strategy for the Global Fashion Industry
From couture ateliers and runways to digital platforms and global retail chains, fashion drives culture, commerce, and innovation.
Yet beneath the glamour lies a sophisticated network of business operations and legal risks—intellectual property infringement, counterfeiting, labor issues, and global licensing disputes—that can define or destroy a brand’s legacy.
At SJKP LLP, our Fashion Law Practice empowers designers, brands, retailers, and investors to build, protect, and expand their businesses across borders.
We combine decades of experience in intellectual property, corporate law, real estate, entertainment, and international trade to provide actionable legal strategies that match the pace of the global fashion economy.
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1. Fashion: Strategic Counsel Across Design, Retail, and Luxury
Helping Fashion Businesses Thrive From Concept to Consumer
The fashion industry moves fast—but the law moves slower.
Our Fashion attorneys bridge that gap by advising clients across the full business lifecycle: from concept design and brand formation to distribution, partnerships, and acquisitions.
We represent luxury houses, emerging designers, apparel manufacturers, distributors, digital retailers, and global retail groups, delivering both legal precision and commercial insight.
Core Legal Services for Fashion and Apparel Clients
- - Corporate Formation and Governance: Structuring brands, partnerships, and holding entities
- Mergers, Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures: Guiding strategic alliances, brand sales, and international expansions
- Manufacturing and Supply Contracts: Drafting agreements that ensure quality, sustainability, and compliance
- Retail and Franchise Agreements: Structuring operations for boutiques, outlets, and digital storefronts
- Cross-Border Operations: Advising on customs, import/export, and foreign investment regulations
Our goal is simple: to turn creative vision into sustainable enterprise.
2. Fashion: Real Estate and Retail Expansion
Securing Iconic Spaces for Global Fashion Brands
Flagship stores, boutique spaces, and pop-up experiences are the physical embodiment of a brand’s identity.
Our Fashion and Real Estate teams negotiate some of the most high-profile retail leases in the world, ensuring that each location aligns with brand image and financial goals.
Representative Retail Leasing Matters
- - Negotiation of long-term leases for luxury retail brands in prime locations such as Fifth Avenue, Rodeo Drive, and Ginza
- Real estate structuring for international fashion retailers entering the U.S. market
- Zoning, construction, and sustainability compliance for new retail developments
- Commercial leases for warehouses, distribution centers, and e-commerce logistics hubs
We help fashion clients secure real estate assets that enhance visibility, profitability, and longevity.
3. Fashion: Licensing, Merchandising, and Brand Collaborations
Expanding Influence Through Strategic Partnerships
Fashion has become a key pillar of celebrity and lifestyle branding.
Our Fashion and Entertainment lawyers structure licensing, merchandising, and endorsement deals that generate new revenue streams and global visibility for both brands and public figures.
We counsel designers, models, athletes, and influencers on how to monetize name, image, and likeness rights—while protecting brand integrity and compliance with FTC and advertising laws.
Key Services in Fashion Licensing and Merchandising
- - Licensing and merchandising agreements for apparel, accessories, and lifestyle products
- Endorsement deals and influencer contracts
- Brand collaborations between designers, musicians, and retailers
- Royalties, revenue sharing, and performance-based compensation structures
- Due diligence and IP clearance for celebrity-brand partnerships
We ensure that every collaboration strengthens—not dilutes—the brand value.
4. Fashion: Protecting Creativity and Intellectual Property
Safeguarding Original Design in an Era of Global Replication
Fashion design thrives on innovation, but imitation is inevitable.
Our Intellectual Property team protects creative assets through trademark registration, copyright filings, design patents, and trade secret enforcement—both domestically and internationally.
We represent clients in counterfeiting, piracy, and unfair competition cases, leveraging customs enforcement, takedown procedures, and litigation to preserve market share and reputation.
Comprehensive IP Protection Services
- - Trademark registration, enforcement, and opposition proceedings
- Copyright protection for fabric prints, patterns, and visual campaigns
- Design patents for apparel, footwear, jewelry, and accessories
- Trade dress and brand identity litigation
- Anti-counterfeiting programs and online marketplace enforcement
In a global digital market, we combine legal enforcement and brand strategy to ensure that creativity remains protected and profitable.
5. Fashion: Employment, Immigration, and Global Mobility
Empowering the Creative Workforce Behind Every Brand
The success of any fashion brand relies on the talent behind it—designers, models, creative directors, and production specialists.
Our Labor and Immigration attorneys assist clients in recruiting, retaining, and relocating global talent, ensuring compliance with employment, visa, and workplace regulations.
Workforce and Compliance Services
- - Employment agreements for executives, designers, and creative staff
- Labor and union negotiations in manufacturing and retail sectors
- Immigration counsel for international talent, including O-1, H-1B, and artist visas
- Employment policy compliance, workplace safety, and discrimination prevention
We help fashion companies maintain lawful, inclusive, and efficient global operations.
6. Fashion: Technology, E-Commerce, and Digital Platforms
Adapting Legal Frameworks for the Modern Fashion Economy
Fashion has shifted from physical stores to global e-commerce ecosystems.
We guide clients in structuring online retail agreements, influencer collaborations, digital advertising, and data privacy compliance under laws such as GDPR and CCPA.
Our attorneys also advise on NFTs, virtual fashion assets, and metaverse branding, ensuring intellectual property protection in the emerging digital economy.
E-Commerce and Digital Advisory Services
- - Online retail and distribution agreements
- Consumer protection and privacy compliance
- Digital marketing, influencer, and affiliate partnership contracts
- NFT-based ownership, authentication, and resale rights
- AI-generated design and IP ownership counseling
The digital transformation of fashion requires equally adaptive legal strategy—and we deliver exactly that.
7. Why Choose SJKP LLP for Fashion Law
Trusted Counsel to the World’s Most Creative Brands
Fashion is as much about business as it is about beauty.
At SJKP LLP, our Fashion Practice integrates corporate, intellectual property, entertainment, and real estate law to provide the multidisciplinary support that modern brands demand.
We advise both emerging labels and global luxury groups, combining legal precision with a deep understanding of industry dynamics, trends, and commercial realities.
What Sets Us Apart
- - Comprehensive experience across fashion, luxury, and retail sectors
- Proven success in licensing, branding, and global expansion deals
- Strong connections with industry leaders in media, entertainment, and finance
- Practical, creative, and commercially attuned legal strategies
- Commitment to protecting innovation and brand integrity
Fashion may define culture—but law defines its boundaries.
We ensure our clients stay creative, compliant, and competitive on every runway and every platform.
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading or relying on the contents of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship with our firm. For advice regarding your specific situation, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
Certain informational content on this website may utilize technology-assisted drafting tools and is subject to attorney review.
