Fashion Law Symposium 2017

Fashion & Entertainment Law Symposium to Look at Fusion of Art, Politics

Fashion Law Symposium 2017
“The Creative Response to Political Disruption” Friday, April 7, 2017.

The Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Fashion Law Project and the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review will host “The Creative Response to Political Disruption” to delve into the intersection of fashion, pop culture and politics on Friday, April 7, 2017 on Loyola’s downtown L.A. campus. 

Panelists from across industries will discuss options available to artists when their work is unexpectedly used for political purposes. Participants will also look at social media, image management, boycotts, and conscious-consumerism as tools for messaging. 

“The 2016 presidential election raised important questions about what happens when a political party uses the work of a designer, artist, actor or studio,” said Staci Jennifer Riordan ’04, executive director of The Fashion Law Project, the first program on the West Coast to focus solely on the legal issues associated with the fashion industry. “ When someone appropriates your creation and uses it in a way you never intended, what rights do you have?” 

Pocketbook activism is at its peak, with more and more consumers choosing to make political statements through the money they spend. The panel “#YourDollarHasPower: How Our Consumer Purchases May Have Inadvertent Social and Political Impact” will discuss ways boycotts impact the political landscape. Confirmed speakers include Shannon Coulter, whose #GrabYourWallet initiative encouraged consumers to avoid Trump-family products, and celebrity stylists Karla Welch and Elizabeth Stewart. 

Social media’s impact on politics will be the focus on the panel, “Twitter, Terrorism & Trends: Social Media’s Role in Disrupting How We Communicate & Consume.” Panelists will discuss the role social media plays in disseminating information, how pop culture can blur the intended message and the legal implications of communicating via digital platforms. Panelists will include Raina Penchansky, Chief Strategy Officer, DBA; Ashlee Margolis founder of A-list PR; Professor Nina Brown, Syracuse University; and Deborah Greaves, partner, Brutzkus Gubner. 

“Brand Identity & Image Management: How Brands and Designers Remain in Control and on Trend in Social and Political Activism” will explore rights designers and labels have when their work is used in political messaging, especially when that message is of an opposing view. Panelists will include Peter Eliasberg of the ACLU; Yosi Sargent, founder, Taskforce PR; and entertainment and brand lawyer Nyanza Shaw, Esq.   

The panel, “Capitalizing on Chaos: How to Profit During Uncertain Times in the Global Fashion Trade,”will focus on ways brands can continue to thrive, regardless of politics, at time when stock prices can fall with a simple Tweet. Panelist will also share tips for maintaining stability during times of disruption. . Speakers include Erik Smithweiss, partner, Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt LLP; Ted Huston of Polygon Solutions; and Ilse Metchek, California Fashion Association. 

The symposium, hosted by the Fashion Law Project and Loyola’s Entertainment Law Review, will be held in the Girardi Advocacy Center on Loyola’s campus at 919 Albany St., Los Angeles, CA 90015. The presenting sponsor is Nixon Peabody. Co-sponsors include Studio No One, Geragos & Geragos, and the California Fashion Association. Program details and registration information are available here.  

About The Fashion Law Project 

The Fashion Law Project is a comprehensive academic center at Loyola Law School focused on the unique and all-encompassing legal issues affecting the fashion industry in the U.S. and abroad. Its multifaceted design provides programming for several audiences, including law students, design students, legal professionals and fashion industry professionals. Offerings include dedicated fashion law courses and a Sub-Concentration, annual symposia and the Fashion Law Intensive Summer Program, which will run from July 27-30, 2017. Learn more at www.lls.edu/thefashionlawproject.

About Loyola Law School, Los Angeles 

Located on an award-winning Frank Gehry-designed campus in downtown Los Angeles, Loyola Law School is home to prominent faculty, dedicated students and cutting-edge programs. The Law School strives to instill in students the knowledge they need to excel on their chosen paths. It dedicates itself to preparing students for the rigors of practice with an extensive portfolio of practical-training opportunities, a 17,000-strong alumni network and a focus on social justice. Learn more at www.lls.edu.