This emerging Australian-Singaporean designer’s Vampire of the Vanities Couture 2025 collection suggests that he is well-versed in designing the wedding gowns of vampires. 

But in speaking with Teo, it becomes clear that something far more immortal lies at the heart of JOTÉO, the internationally recognised couture house he has built from a small studio nestled in Bowen Hills, Brisbane: craft.

“In my early career, particularly before I became a professional dressmaker, I hit many roadblocks and failed at several things,” Teo tells me. “I had to build endurance, get back up and choose fashion again and again. No one tells you that you have to keep choosing it. I am simply lucky that fashion chose me back. It is my first marriage.”

He laughs. “Sometimes, I think, ‘Wow, I’m married to fashion, not an actual person.’ But I am very happy with this marriage.”

Before JOTÉO was a couture house, with gowns crossing international borders and finding their way to the Cannes Film Festival, Teo was a Year 12 student in Brisbane, studying fashion at the Queensland University of Technology and taking his first tentative steps in what would become a lifelong dance with couture.

Before JOTÉO, There Was the Dressmaker

You were born in Singapore and moved to Australia when you were young. Take me back to the beginning. How did fashion enter your life? 

Once upon a time, I suppose. I was born in Singapore, and my whole family is from Singapore, originally from China. 

When I was about eight or nine, my brother had already gone abroad to Australia for boarding school. We travelled back and forth to visit him and bring him home to Singapore. One day, my mum and dad looked at me and realised that some of the reasons my brother wanted to attend school in Australia could also be seen in me. They asked whether I would like to join him. Of course, I said yes.

Coming to Australia, into an environment that was not as meritocracy-based or as intensely competitive from a formal scholastic point of view, allowed me to see my creative ambitions as more than hobbies or flights of fancy. I could think of them as a career.

It was not the same pathway as becoming a doctor, lawyer or engineer, which are more stereotypically aligned with an Asian or Asian-diaspora identity, and I was elated by that possibility.

Little by little, I explored those interests throughout school. I was fortunate to find teachers at St. Peter’s who really nurtured them. I was also incredibly lucky that my parents became supportive. There was a moment of, “Oh my God, you’re creative too.”

They were not dismissive, even though my friends had warned me they might be. I remember being anxious about telling my father I wanted to pursue this.

When did designing become making for you?

My passion for dressmaking kept growing.

Originally, I did not think I would be the hands-on person sewing, cutting and draping. I imagined design as a two-dimensional process where I would draw something, hand it to someone else in the office and say, “Make it, and make it quickly, please.”

But I gravitated towards making more than designing.

Making is how I formulate the design. I do not begin from a purely conceptual base. I use a very technical perspective to build and construct the fantasy world I have for myself.

You eventually studied fashion at QUT, although you have said your path into fashion was not as seamless as people might assume.

I actually began at QUT during Year 12 through a program called Start QUT. I had a lot of spare periods and was motivated, so I thought, “Why not? Let’s see what happens.”

I was fortunate to be accepted into the Bachelor of Design in Fashion Design, which at the time involved a portfolio and interview. I did not get in on my first try. That is a little-known fact.

People sometimes apply an almost mythical lens to my story, as though I entered and conquered every obstacle I faced. That was not the case.

In my early career, particularly before I became a professional dressmaker, I hit many roadblocks and failed at several things. I had to build endurance, get back up and choose fashion again and again. No one tells you that you have to keep choosing it.

I am simply lucky that fashion chose me back.

Choosing Couture Over the Fashion Label

The distinction between a designer and a dressmaker is important to Teo. 

JOTÉO did not begin with a plan to produce collections at scale, secure wholesale accounts and become another name hanging from the racks of Australian department stores. When the pandemic interrupted a potential move to New York and forced Teo to reconsider what he actually wanted from fashion, his answer was simple: he wanted to keep making clothes.

You graduated into an incredibly uncertain period for fashion. How did you bridge the gap between being a fashion student and actually building a professional practice?

It was an omnidirectional approach.

I was lucky to complete my graduate collection in 2019. While I was finishing the minors I had neglected in the interest of producing a strong debut collection, the pandemic hit. That changed my trajectory entirely.

Before the pandemic, I had been exploring employment opportunities in New York with Loeffler Randall. It was becoming a very real conversation, but the pandemic changed everything.

There was a period when I thought it might be the end of my career. We did not know whether there would be an industry to return to, or what it would look like.

What helped me was almost counterintuitive. I withdrew into my fantasy, not as escapism, but to interrogate what I actually wanted.

The world we had imagined was not going to return in the same form, if it returned at all. I had to find a way to translate what I wanted to do.

When I stripped it back, I realised I wanted to keep sewing, patternmaking and dressmaking.

From there, people began to come to me. I put myself out there and said I did not necessarily want to be a fashion brand in the conventional sense. I wanted to be a maker-based fashion designer and practitioner.

Australian fashion is overwhelmingly retail. What would you tell a young designer who wants to build a couture house instead, like yourself? 

The first thing I would tell any young designer considering it is almost spiritual. You have to sit down and ask yourself whether this is really what you want.

It is fine to change your mind. You can explore it and later decide otherwise. But if you want to build a long-term career in couture, you need to analyse your likes, your wants and your non-negotiables as a designer, and decide whether a life of making and hands-on, face-to-face interaction with clients is what you truly desire.

Young designers often fall out of the field quickly because they do not understand what the life entails.

On Instagram or TikTok, the major houses such as Valentino, Balenciaga and Chanel present a fantasy of immediate adoration, fashion shows, glamour, tulle and sequins.

They do not tell you that you must be a people person.

You need relationships with clients. You need to understand their lives and find a bridge between your perspective and theirs so you can understand what they want from your craft and help them realise it.

The Business Behind the Fantasy

Every marriage, no matter how romantic at the start, eventually encounters the topic of money.

For a young couturier, this meant Teo had to learn that knowing how to construct a beautiful dress and knowing how to build a viable business around that dress were two entirely different skills. Fashion school had taught him the former. The latter came through wholesale invoices, underpriced gowns and what he describes as a few “hard lashings”.

You have said fashion education did not necessarily teach you how to turn design into a professional practice. What did you have to learn once JOTÉO became a business?

The beginning was rough.

Fashion education, particularly at that time, did not really teach students how to translate a career as a student designer into a professional practice. That involves pricing, sourcing and day-to-day operations.

How do you build a brand rather than simply declare that you are one?

With social media, anybody can call themselves a luxury brand or a couture house on the rise.

What helped me bridge the gap was being technically well-versed. I could not only talk about the vision. I could make the vision and sell the vision.

Because I could make it, I could explain every factor: what it would look like from every angle, how it would be cut, and how a hem could be finished invisibly.

That fed directly into my relationships with clients. They did not have to wonder whether I knew how to execute the work. They thought, “That sounds good. You sound like you know what you’re doing.”

Sometimes that was more true than others. Sometimes you fake it until you make it, and eventually I began to make a little way for myself.

What were some of the expensive lessons?

I spent a fortune buying formal fabrics such as mikado, silk satin and satin duchess at retail.

Coming from a dressmaker’s perspective, it felt normal. I thought, “Of course I buy it here. It is the best quality.”

I had not done the hard work of emailing and building relationships with wholesalers in Australia and overseas.

When I finally compared the costs after moving to wholesale, I felt like donkey ears were growing out of my head. I felt like the biggest idiot in the world. I could have redirected so much of that money into other parts of the business.

If you want to work in couture, search for Australian, Chinese, Indian and global wholesalers. We source fabrics from all over the world because no single supplier has everything. It is specialised.

Even in an age of convenience, you still need to do the hard yards. The savings are worth it.

And then there is the notoriously difficult question for any young designer: how much is your work actually worth?

It was trial and error.

In building JOTÉO, I wanted it to be seen first as dressmaking: skilled, technical and reputational. Beyond that, I wanted to build it from a luxury perspective.

In the beginning, while I was still learning, I operated at a substantial deficit. I was underpricing.

We have a La Femme LBD, affectionately called the “devil horns” or “thumbs-up” dress. I sold it for about $600 when it cost almost $500 to make because I was purchasing fabric at retail.

I told myself I was getting the product and my name out there. But a piece that unique, using so much couture technique, did not need to have such a low margin.

You have to learn through a few hard lashings.

Ideally, you start with a perfect operation, but in couture there are not many people available to instruct you, and very few business models are publicly examinable. Sometimes you bang your head against the wall until you realise you should stop.

We increased prices incrementally and tested what was too much and what was too little.

One of JOTÉO’s unique selling points was that it offered couture without the astronomical price point associated with major houses. 

The business still has to feed you while you learn on the job.

If I am selling one of our signature couture gowns, bustled, corseted and built around a distinctive graphic neckline, I know better now than to underprice it.

Underpricing does a disservice to the business and to me, because I am the person making the garment. It jeopardises my health, drives overwork and creates imbalance in the business.

There is also something unusually intimate about the business model. You are not simply selling a dress to a customer. Who is the JOTÉO woman to you?

Right now, I want the woman to feel augmented.

Although our fantasy can be heightened, I want to create couture that does not erase the wearer.

Some couture gowns are incredibly striking, but when the client puts them on, she disappears. The garment might technically fit her, but it says nothing about the fact that she stands with one hip cocked, or that she is going to a dinner where she will gesture, shake hands and hug people. The couture must make room for the whole of our client’s personality and unique way of moving through the world.

I want the wearer and the garment to feel balanced.

How the World Found a Couture House in Brisbane

There is a strange contradiction in building couture in the digital age. The making remains stubbornly physical: fabric must be sourced, bodies measured, patterns cut, corsets constructed. But the finished garment can now travel around the world before the designer does.

For JOTÉO, that has collapsed the distance between a small studio in Bowen Hills and an international fashion industry that once required physical proximity to Paris, London, Milan or New York.

You have dressed public figures, appeared in editorials and now receive enquiries from overseas. How are people finding a couture house in Brisbane?

I can only make an educated guess.

When publications, stylists or celebrities reach out, it can feel like anybody’s game. We are interconnected through Instagram, Red Book and TikTok.

You fire work into a massive void and initially have no idea how anyone found you. Sometimes the algorithm is kind, and sometimes it is not.

Over time, I realised people were finding JOTÉO because it stood out.

For better and worse, particularly in the Australian market, we are insular in the sense that our creative vision and output are completely of our own, undiluted by the undulating trends around us.

We were so much of our own world that people wanted to know what that world was and how it could be implemented within other creative visions.

The most astonishing enquiries come from Europe or the Middle East. I sometimes have to sit there and think, “How did you find us?” while keeping my cool and being professional.

Recently, we dressed an Indian actress attending the Cannes Film Festival. I was told the gowns had crossed her stylist’s desk, but even then I wondered how someone in India found us. It is mind-boggling.

It makes me wonder about fashion before the algorithm. Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent built international mythology without being able to put a dress online and have somebody discover it on the other side of the world. Do you ever think about that?

I am a history buff and I think about that often.

Without easy access to visibility, you would have had to do something incredible.

Instead of quietly humming along in your own little symphony, you would have needed to present couture as a fully realised orchestra, playing the most perfect music.

Sometimes I wonder whether, if I were placed back into the era of the original great designers, I would have stood out.

I honestly do not know.

For all that international attention, JOTÉO has remained deliberately couture-led. Could you ever see it becoming something I could walk into a department store and buy?

Funnily enough, although nobody asks me, we actually do have ready-to-wear silhouettes and samples in the office.

They are a carryover from a time when we were preparing JOTÉO to become a more readily purchasable entity, perhaps stocked in designer boutiques or available online.

As the business evolved, and in response to what clients came to us for, being a couture house and couture maker has suited us more. It suits our narrative better than becoming a retail-ready brand would.

That said, I am not ruling it out.

One day I could release an entire line of slip dresses, and it would be a fabulous party to throw.

I like the idea that making JOTÉO more accessible does not necessarily mean making the clothes less special. Could couture ever become something we treat more casually?

What I would love is for someone to have something we designed, keep it in her wardrobe and wear it throughout her life. Then perhaps she has a daughter, or someone else in the next generation who identifies as a woman, and passes it down.

That next generation might not have the same direct reverence for JOTÉO. She might treat it more casually and say, “It’s just this cute dress or corset my mum had made a while ago. It is from this couture brand from way back when.”

I think that would be fabulous: couture treated with casual reverence and paired with jeans.

I always think of Anna Wintour’s first Vogue cover, with the embellished Christian Lacroix jacket and jeans. I would not be offended if someone wore a sculptural JOTÉO corset on a night out with a mini skirt and heels.

Go for your life. Have fun.

Couture does not have to be completely disconnected from people.

Couture is given due respect in fashion and global conversations, but sometimes that respect creates distance. I almost want to hand someone a corset and say, “See? It’s not scary. It is not radiating some poisonous aura (unless it’s what you want).”

The magic is in the couture itself, but you can wear it and have a relationship with it.

The Next Chapter of the Marriage

There is something revealing in Teo’s phrase “casual reverence”. It could just as easily describe his own relationship with fashion.

For all the grandeur of couture, Teo talks about it without treating it as sacred and untouchable. He reveres the craft, certainly, but he is equally willing to discuss margins, wholesalers and the algorithm, or to concede that sometimes creativity must bend to the requirements of weather, season and price point.

It is perhaps the difference between being infatuated with fashion and building a life with it.

You have described the importance of being a business-minded designer rather than purely creatively led. Does commerciality ever constrain creativity?

One way we challenge that distance is by being strategic in our designs. It comes back to being a business-minded designer rather than only a creatively led designer.

There can be a balance. The two do not have to clash. But with certain styles or commercial situations, one may have to take a back seat.

Imagine doing back-to-back shows at Melbourne Fashion Festival and Australian Fashion Week, with two different collections.

After the initial 30-minute panic, you sit down and write an objective list.

Designing is often problem-solving.

You say, “This collection is for this season, this weather and this price point.”

You would be surprised how quickly those constraints generate designs, particularly if you are creative. You place yourself into the hypothetical life of the person wearing the collection and the designs follow.

So, your next collection. What can you tell me without giving too much away?

What we are evolving into with the new collection is elegance.

Previously, JOTÉO presented a form of elegance that, in retrospect, was showier than I intended. It was more brazen and loud when I thought it was a quiet, elegant whisper.

Now, we are presenting something more mature, with a diverse mix of influences. It can be sexy and dramatic, but it returns to that balanced approach and to couture that leaves room for the client.

This season, the silhouettes offer an elegance that does not scream.

It talks to you.

It is not singing the highest coloratura note. It is serenading you with gentle jazz, or moving like a light breeze.

There is flow, but it is a flow that is entirely JOTÉO’s own.

Behind the Seams is a series by Chloe Lei that explores the paths of those who began in law before finding their way into fashion.

Through conversations with fashion founders, designers and creatives, the series offers a glimpse into what it really takes to step away from the conventional path and follow the pull of fashion.

The post Fashion Is My First Marriage: How Joash Teo Built JOTÉO, an Internationally Recognised Couture House from Brisbane appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

Fashion has always been seen as a creative and innovative industry, while being one of the most resource-hungry in the world. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that the fashion industry utilises a lot of fresh water, generates a sizable portion of carbon emissions, and produces tonnes of textile waste annually. Fast fashion’s widespread appeal has exacerbated the situation by encouraging excessive consumption and the usage of clothing made with hazardous chemicals and intended for disposal. As a result, one of the main concerns in fashion today is sustainability.

There is much more to sustainable fashion than just using recycled or organic materials in apparel. Sustainable fashion encompasses all aspects of production, from the fabric’s source to its eventual demise. This includes creating clothing with a longer lifespan, fair labour practices, sustainable fabric sourcing, sustainable production methods, and waste minimisation. In the end, sustainable design raises an important query: how can clothing benefit both consumers and producers without endangering the environment?

Conversely, this way of living and working is by no means new to indigenous groups. Weaving and textile production have long been practised in Northeast India. Handwoven apparel, the use of natural materials, natural dyeing, craftsmanship, and small-scale production are some of the characteristics that have always defined it.

Eri Silk, sometimes called Peace Silk, is one of Meghalaya’s most prized gifts to sustainable textiles. Eri silk is only extracted when the moth emerges from its cocoon on its own, as opposed to silk made using conventional techniques that kill the silkworms while harvesting the fibre. This cloth has gained recognition as one of the world’s most environmentally friendly silks owing to its eco-friendly methodology. In addition to being cruelty-free, this cloth uses sustainable production methods and is long-lasting, breathable, naturally insulating, and eco-friendly.

However, sustainability encompasses both human and material sustainability. Only when crafters are given equal opportunities, their abilities are valued, and they see a future for themselves in their careers can crafts be sustained. A growing number of designers now understand that social and environmental sustainability are inextricably linked.

This is the setting in which Kynïan, the brand, is developed. The founder has employed sustainability as a comprehensive strategy that influences everything he does, rather than just as a marketing tactic. Kynïan’s label began with an act of kindness, in contrast to most labels that begin with a business plan or marketing strategy.

When the designer behind Kynïan, Naveen Kharmawphlang returned to Shillong during the COVID-19 pandemic to restore his late grandmother’s home, he encountered a single mother living across the street who only needed a job that would allow her to make enough money to support herself and her child. Rather than hiring skilled workers, Naveen chose to hire those with promise but few prospects. He has personally coached numerous people, beginning with her. Before the business began to turn a profit, he had been paying for their training out of his own pocket for about a year.

For Kynïan, these investments were essential to the label’s mission rather than just expenses. He said that “it wasn’t about me; it was all about them.” Every decision the label takes is motivated by this attitude. Rather than pursuing rapid expansion and chasing fashion trends, he chooses to hone talents, boost self-esteem, and create jobs. His belief that fashion can empower people just as much as it can protect the environment is shown by the fact that the company has now expanded to become a source of employment, particularly for women.

During our conversation, he would repeatedly emphasise that conscious fashion begins with making thoughtful choices about what you wear, such as selecting the best natural materials, purchasing directly from artisans rather than through intermediaries, cutting down on plastics by using coconut shell buttons, dyeing all fabrics naturally, and purchasing clothing that will never go out of style.

Kynïan’s explanation of success is the most noteworthy aspect of this discussion. Many designers discuss growth, intellectual property, and exclusive clientele. Although Kynïan does bring up these topics, his priorities are clear. Even when he discusses someone stealing his concept, his response is still fairly unexpected. He doesn’t mind at all if someone uses his designs as inspiration to create jobs in the neighbourhood. He feels that ideas should not be a barrier to creation; rather, they should be shared. The motivation behind the production of a work of art is crucial in this situation. It displays an atypical degree of confidence that is more related to contribution than property.

Every stitch conveys the story of someone given the opportunity to study; every article of clothing shows respect for the craft, and every achievement supports the idea that fashion can actually improve society.

According to Kynïan, creating more is not the future of fashion, and creating one with purpose is.

In Conversation With Tylen Butler: The Olympic-Bound Fencer Who Built the World’s First Fencing Apparel Brand and the IP Strategy Behind It

The post Stitching a Greener Tomorrow: In conversation with Naveen Kharmawphlang, Founder of Kynïan appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

A 3x state champion, 3x Jr. Olympics fencer, and current men’s epee competitor training toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Butler founded TAB DEPT to fill a gap he had spent his entire competitive career staring at: a sport with centuries of history and elegance, and nothing resembling a real brand behind it.

For Tylen, what started as a personal frustration has become something far more ambitious: a self-funded, founder-led label that has moved from athletic wear into streetwear and now toward luxury, building manufacturing relationships across Italy, Spain, and Dubai along the way, all while he retains creative control over every part of the process, from design to photography to the trademark filings protecting it.

Rather than paraphrase his story, we wanted readers to hear it directly from him: the origin, the philosophy behind Be En Garde, the legal groundwork behind protecting an idea in a category with no precedent, and where he sees TAB DEPT heading next. What follows is Tylen Butler, in his own words.

The Origin Story

Could you tell us the story behind TAB DEPT and what inspired you to create the world’s first fencing apparel brand?

As a kid, I was always into fashion and design. I even won a few awards for taking first place in fundraising events at my church lol. And when I was around 9 to 12, I used to burn my own Christmas playlist mix CDs and sell them to people so I’d have funds to buy my family gifts for Christmas. So I’ve always had that business mindset. Around 8 or 9, I sewed my dad a shirt and my mom a bag. Definitely wasn’t my best work lol, but it was something I was proud of, and something I think they still have.

Fast forward years down the line, I started fencing at 13, pretty late compared to most fencers I knew growing up, and now. I played a lot of sports before that: fútbol, basketball, swim, tennis, football, a lot of what you’d call the “mainstream” sports. But in my first-ever fencing tournament, I placed first, and I stuck with it ever since.

I always wanted to represent my sport, but there was literally nothing out there that was a real brand. Only random Etsy sellers with a shirt that said “fencing” across the chest, or “en garde” lol. It definitely wasn’t fashionable. No real fencers were buying that, let alone someone who doesn’t know one thing about the sport. And it honestly always bothered me. Fencing is one of the oldest sports in the world, and there was nothing.

Fencing apparel was essentially an unclaimed category in luxury fashion before TAB DEPT. What made you see that gap, and why did you decide to fill it?

It’s nothing new; fencing has been used in creative marketing campaigns for years by all kinds of brands. But that’s all it ever was, a placement. None of those brands knew anything about fencing, and I doubt anyone behind them ever fenced themselves. I believe it’s more authentic for a luxury fashion brand in this space to be built by a real creative who’s also a real fencer. Fencing is already elegant on its own, so the fit was already there.

TAB DEPT exists at the intersection of streetwear, athletic performance, and luxury fashion. How do you balance these three elements in both your design philosophy and your brand strategy?

When I started the brand, I told everyone who was interested in what I was building that it would come in stages. Starting with athletic wear, because at the end of the day fencing is a sport, and I wanted fencers and other athletes to be able to rep it in style and be comfortable. As that grew, we merged into more streetwear-driven projects, so people who aren’t necessarily athletes but are into streetwear could wear it too. And lastly, luxury, which is the end goal, and where we’re headed now. That’s where the heavy hitters come in, the pieces I’ve been working on for a long time. So many ideas and mock-ups you wouldn’t even believe. But good things take time, and I can’t drop everything at once.

You can see all three living together in the current work. MASQUE is our signature print, built from an original photograph I took of fencing mask mesh. COQUILLE is our tote, PLASTRON is our billfold, both named after actual fencing terminology, because the language of the sport is French and I wanted the brand to speak it properly rather than just borrow the aesthetic.

“The thing I love about this brand is that I’m not boxed in.”

I can move in any direction I choose, and it still covers every aspect of fencing and fashion.

Trademarks, Copyright, and Protecting an Original Idea

As a founder-designer building an independent luxury brand, you’ve navigated trademark registration and copyright protection for your original designs. Can you walk us through your IP strategy and the key decisions you made early on to protect TAB DEPT’s intellectual property? What made you see the need?

Navigating it was definitely a pain at first; I had no clue what I was doing. But after a lot of dedicated research and time, I learned the ins and outs of IP law and how important it is to protect yourself and your brand. Had to be en garde with that one lol.

If you can’t navigate it yourself, it’s important to seek help. Some attorneys will answer questions for free, point you in the right direction, or take pro bono work. It’s better to do it right the first time than waste money and time.

On the concrete side, our BE EN GARDE wordmark is now federally registered (Reg. No. 8,377,801, registered August 4, 2026), and we tracked the fencer logo mark through the process as well. For MASQUE, our signature print, I’m filing copyright as a derivative work based on my own original photograph of fencing mask mesh. That distinction mattered to me. The print isn’t a stock pattern or a licensed graphic; it comes from a photo I took myself, and protecting it that way means the ownership chain starts and ends with me.

Unfortunately, in today’s society, people are always taking other people’s ideas and claiming them as their own. I’ve noticed a few “fencing inspired” brands pop up after I started TAB DEPT, and I don’t believe in coincidences. Even someone I considered a friend started their own “fencing brand” after asking me questions about mine in the early stages: sales, ideas, future goals and claiming they wanted to invest in the brand. So yeah, this industry can be really grimy at times, and it’s hard to protect an original idea or design against both smaller brands and bigger corporations.

I have a good amount protected already, and there’s a lot more I plan to trademark and protect going forward. But as we all know, that’s costly and time-consuming on top of everything else you’re already carrying as a business owner. People love to hop on trends, but I’m not building a trend. I’m building something long-lasting, a movement. And when the so-called hype comes, I want to be as protected as I can be.

One thing I love about people, though, is

“People can smell authenticity a mile away. They support the real ones, the first creators, even when corporations and copycats take the idea and run with it.”

Building Without a Roadmap

What were the biggest challenges in building an independent brand in luxury fashion, particularly when entering a completely unclaimed category with no established players or distribution models?

Building a community is the hardest thing when there’s no community for what you’re trying to build. Thankfully, I’ve been blessed with a strong group of people and supporters who understand the brand and what I’m creating. This isn’t a trend or a fad. I’m building a long-lasting movement and community that truly resonates with the brand’s philosophy.

The other challenge is that there’s no roadmap for the operational side either. No established players in the category means no template for who to manufacture with, where, or how. I built those relationships from scratch and now have manufacturing partners in Italy, Spain, and Dubai, and we’ve shot campaigns in London, Paris, and Puglia. Figuring all that out independently, without capital and without anyone to model it after, was probably the steepest part of the climb.

It’s inspiring to watch people who had no idea what fencing even was join the movement and the conversation. But I love a challenge, and building a community basically from scratch is what motivates me every day.

Be En Garde: The Philosophy Behind the Brand

“Be En Garde”: guard your mind, heart, and spirit from negativity and outside influences, to be ready, to be prepared. How does this core belief shape TAB DEPT’s brand identity, your design decisions, and your approach to building the company?

Yes, I’m selling apparel, but it’s more than that. I believe what you represent is important, and what you wear is just as important.

Some people just make clothes for money, because it seems cool, because it’s trendy, because they think it’s a get-rich-quick scheme (far from the truth lol). A lot of brands have no real meaning behind them. It’s just clothes. No original story, no design language, no purpose.

“What does this brand make you feel? How do you feel when you’re wearing it? What does what I’m wearing represent?”

Those are the questions I asked myself before creating this brand. I knew I didn’t want it to be generic. I knew I wanted something long-lasting that anyone could remember, relate to, and carry with them wherever they go, and that ties directly to fencing.

Be En Garde is the foundation of everything. It’s important that we’re on guard against negative people, comments, influences, and thoughts. Be on guard in every aspect of your life. Be ready for whatever comes next. Be prepared when the next opportunity arrives. Be on guard against anything or anyone that keeps you from your goals.

Designing as an Athlete, for Athletes

You are actively training toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in men’s epee. How does your athlete’s perspective inform your design process, product development, and understanding of what your customers actually need in fencing apparel?

So important, you don’t even understand how many times I wished I had a specific fit, piece, or material as an athlete. My friends who compete had the same complaints about certain gear. I make things I would actually wear, and I never make anything I wouldn’t. As a designer and CEO, selling a product you wouldn’t use yourself makes no sense to me lol.

Every piece you create comes from a founder’s hands-on involvement in design and brand building. Why has maintaining that level of creative control and direct involvement remained non-negotiable for TAB DEPT?

Very important. We take the quality of our pieces seriously and make sure we partner with the right people and manufacturers to put out something that actually lasts. I’ve always been quality over quantity, and I’ll carry that with this brand forever. I never want to be in a position where I’m choosing quantity over quality and lowering the brand’s standards.

On the creative side, I still do all of it myself. Creative direction, photography, videography, graphic design, the website, all of it. Part of that is practical; I launched this without outside capital, so early on there simply wasn’t a choice. But it’s stayed that way because the vision lives in my head and every hand it passes through is a chance for it to get diluted. When I shoot a campaign, I already know what it’s supposed to feel like before the camera comes out. That’s hard to brief to someone else.

I’ll bring people in as we grow; that’s necessary. But the final decision and the direction stay with me. That’s non-negotiable.

How do you build and nurture community around TAB DEPT, especially within the fencing world? What does that relationship between athlete, brand, and consumer look like for you?

Honestly, just be real and authentic, and I do that the best way I know how. I love hearing feedback from customers. It’s super important. You have to listen to the people who support you. I’m a consumer myself, and I’d want the businesses I support to have that same level of care, respect, and attention to detail. I’ve been the customer looking in from the outside, so I know exactly how I’d want a brand I support to operate.

We also recently signed our first sponsored athlete, which was a real milestone for me. It’s not just a logo placement. It’s about building an actual ecosystem where the brand and the athletes competing in this sport grow together, rather than the brand just borrowing the sport’s imagery and giving nothing back.

What Comes Next

Looking ahead, what does scaling TAB DEPT look like, and how do you plan to preserve the brand’s independence and founder-led identity as demand grows?

Looking ahead is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. I know for a fact this brand will be a multi-million, if not billion-dollar brand. I know the brand’s potential, and I know my own.

I hate to lose more than I like to win. I know the dedication, hard work, and sacrifices I’ve made and will keep making; and we’re just getting started. I’m the type of person who’s going to figure it out no matter what, even if I have to do it alone. But I’ve been blessed with a great circle and people like yourself who believe in the brand, the vision, and the world I’m creating.

There’s a lot more coming: tighter, more focused fencing-driven designs, shoes, suits, dresses, jewelry, bags. I’m excited to start rolling those out when the time is right.

I most likely will never sell this brand, because I don’t think anyone has the vision I have for it. I’ll welcome investors, of course, but I’d hate to lose creative control and final say and watch someone push it in a direction it was never meant to go. So

“authenticity, creativity, and relationships will be the key to a successful TAB DEPT.”

What advice would you give to other athlete-founders or independent designers hoping to build a globally recognised luxury brand in a niche space without giving up creative control?

Be real to you, your own journey, and your own ideas. The road may be long and difficult, but it’s YOURS. No one has the ideas, drive, passion, or story you have. Don’t be artificial, and don’t allow anything artificial into your creative process or your space.

Keep grinding regardless of how it looks right now, regardless of whether “friends” or “family” support you. Your supporters will come if you keep going.

Believe me, there are plenty of people I know, and so-called friends, who have never supported the brand or offered a word of encouragement or advice. People who just watch and say nothing. But you can’t take that to heart. You just learn how to move.

I’ve learned to put my energy into the people who do support instead of the ones who don’t. I actually keep track of everything, so I know who to bring with me and bless as I grow. From some of the first purchases, to the first follows, to the people who expressed genuine interest early. I look forward to blessing the people who believed in me and the brand before the hype, the recognition, and the articles.

And let’s say you only have a few supporters right now. That’s just fewer people you have to bring up with you when you make it lol.

What’s the next chapter for TAB DEPT, and how does the vision evolve as the brand matures?

Long term, I see multiple storefronts: Charlotte, NYC, Cali, the major cities across America, then Italy, Paris, Cairo, Lagos, Casablanca. You name it, I want TAB DEPT there.

I also want this brand to introduce the incredible sport of fencing to people who’ve never touched it. Our own fencing events, shows, competitions, partnerships. I want us at NYFW & our own runway shows.

When you think fencing, sword fighting, duels, protecting yourself, being en garde, I want you to think TAB DEPT. We’re building a whole stage, a whole world of its own, and I want people to be part of the movement.

“No matter how long it takes, one day, no matter where you go, you’ll see TAB DEPT. Our logo, our symbol, our philosophy.

Be En Garde. Not Just a Brand. A Movement.”

A First Look: TAB DEPT FW’26

While this piece was already underway, Tylen let us in on something not yet public: an early look at pieces from TAB DEPT’s upcoming FW’26 collection. The designs carry through everything he described throughout this conversation: fencing-driven, deliberately unhurried, and built the same way everything at TAB DEPT is built, entirely in-house, with Tylen behind the direction of every shot. What follows is an exclusive first look at a handful of pieces ahead of the wider reveal.

The post In Conversation With Tylen Butler: The Olympic-Bound Fencer Who Built the World’s First Fencing Apparel Brand and the IP Strategy Behind It appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

When Gladys Lai described her role as Head of Brand at Vogue Australia as that of a “custodian”, my mind went to The Lord of the Rings.

There is a scene in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, where Gandalf stands alone on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, suspended above a dark abyss, as the rest of the Fellowship races through the Mines of Moria. As the Balrog descends upon them, Gandalf raises his staff and declares, “You shall not pass.”

While Lai’s remit is less apocalyptic, the comparison is not such a far cry. 

As Head of Brand, she is responsible for safeguarding the voice of Vogue Australia: deciding what belongs within its world, what must go, and what shall not pass. And yet, she is not simply guarding the bridge. 

She is building one of her own, framing fashion through the lens of history, politics and aesthetic theory, and bringing her distinctive way of seeing to an institution she has been entrusted to preserve.

I sat down with Lai to discuss the craft behind her editorial voice, the making of a career in fashion media, and what it takes to preserve the authority of a legacy title in an era of collapsing attention spans.

On Writing as Her First Love

Long before Lai entered fashion media, she was a devoted reader. 

By the age of nine, she had already fallen in love with Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf and Tolkien. Writing grew alongside that appetite for literature. 

“Writing was my first love,” she tells me, “and I think it really has underpinned everything that I have come to love in the years since.”

When I ask who her style icons were growing up, Lai tells me she was drawn less to celebrities than to imagined worlds: the medieval armour, elaborate headdresses and costumes of The Lord of the Rings, Disney princesses, ancient Egyptian jewellery and the clothing preserved in art and history.

“I feel like all of those style influences were drawn from areas that weren’t strictly, conventionally fashion,” she says. “It was clothing in the sense of a study of how people used to dress and what it says about a culture and a time.”

That instinct still shapes her work. Lai does not treat fashion as an isolated subject, but as a way of reading culture, history, politics and aesthetics.

On Studying Law 

When I ask whether she had always imagined a career in fashion media, Lai laughs and shakes her head.

“I never considered it as a career path,” she says. “I don’t think it was painted out as possible for me. No one I knew worked in fashion.”

Her understanding of the industry was, by her own admission, limited to The Devil Wears Prada. The life she pictured for herself was quieter.

“I wanted to work in a library or an archive somewhere,” she confesses, “somewhere decidedly maybe unfashionable and a bit naff.”

When I ask why she initially pursued law, Lai is clear that it was never the dream. Neither, at first, was journalism. She had planned to study arts and pursue history or art history, but conversations about prestige, employability and the apparent waste of good marks pushed her towards a combined law degree.

“I had conversations with people about the so-called prestige of studying a law degree alongside an arts degree, and how I would be, quote unquote, ‘wasting the marks that I got’ if I just did an arts degree,” she says.

She is less diplomatic about that logic now.

“That is obviously such a backwards way of thinking. It is not how anything works, and it is really regressive.”

The promise attached to law was familiar: stability, professional legitimacy and a career path visible from the outside. Lai describes it as the “safety net” she had been told she needed, although the metaphor looks less convincing in retrospect.

“At the stage of my life where I am now, I think it is very funny that a safety net is a five-year degree in which you need to do another year of practice before you get admitted,” she says.

She remains grateful for the degree. Law taught her resilience, though her interest lay in the parts of the curriculum that rewarded argument, interpretation and the written word.

“It was the historian in me that found the most interest in the least fiscally attractive parts of a law degree,” she says. “I loved writing essays.”

Throughout her degree, writing remained the constant.

“I had considered writing secondary to all of these other things and all of my other interests,” she says. “Then I thought, what if just the craft of writing was the job?”

On Her First Day at Vogue 

Lai’s entry into Vogue came when she was about 19, midway through her degree, after the kind of chance encounter that sounds as though it belongs in a film. She met the then editor-in-chief at a networking event; they spoke, and Lai was asked to send through her résumé. An interview followed soon after.

For the occasion, she wore a black woollen turtleneck, gingham cigarette trousers and a pair of little black Repettos she still owns.

“It was very Audrey Hepburn, Roman Holiday kind of style,” she says. “Very straightforward. I was not trying to do anything. It was just a little bit more put together.”

The romance of the beginning soon gave way to discipline. Lai interned for a year while studying full-time and working two other jobs. Some days began at seven in the morning and ended with lectures or tutorials late in the evening. Her weekends belonged to her second job.

“I would literally never do that again,” she says. “I don’t know why I did that to myself.”

The internship itself was unusual. On her first day, rather than being relegated to coffee runs, Lai was asked to review a Louis Vuitton Cruise show. She had never written about a runway before.

“Completely fresh,” she says. “I just launched into it. I had no clue what I was doing. I just started writing.”

The piece was published, and more assignments followed.

“I was writing from day one,” she says.

Years of reading had already given her an instinct for structure, even if the subject was new.

“I think I understood what structure was demanded of me by the task,” she says. “It came pretty naturally.”

On Becoming Head of Brand

Lai did not arrive at the Head of Brand role through one swift promotion. She noticed what was missing, then began doing it.

“I have, and still do have, a tendency to overexert myself and overextend myself into other parts of the job,” she says. “If I see a gap in a workflow, I will just fill it.”

As a content editor, that meant taking on work that sat beyond the formal limits of her title. 

“I naturally took on all of these other responsibilities that no one else was claiming,” she says. “I was like, ‘Well, I would like to have my title reflect that difference.’”

Her interest was never limited to the page. The writing mattered most, but so did the machinery around it: where money came from, how editorial decisions were made, how an audience behaved and how commercial interests shaped the work.

“The purely creative part of the writing is always going to be what drives me,” she says. “But I was also interested in how the business ran, where money came from, how money influenced what we wrote, and just having a more 360-degree picture of the business.”

That curiosity led her into strategy, data and analytics, then into a Head of Brand role at GQ and later Vogue Australia.

“It is a very widely spread-out role,” she says.

Writing, interviewing and editing remain central. Lai fields pitches, helps writers shape and structure stories, and decides whether an idea belongs within the editorial world of Vogue. The role also extends into social strategy, audience development, community building, video production and commercial partnerships.

“I have a very clear understanding of what is off brand, and how to make something that is off brand on brand, or whether it should not be a Vogue topic,” she says. 

Custodianship, in this sense, involves knowing the institution intimately enough to recognise its boundaries and knowing when those boundaries should move.

On How to Write for Vogue

Fashion media has a reputation for opacity, and Lai does little to dispute it. 

“It is not very clear how to get into it,” she nods. 

Her advice is simpler: reach out.

She answers DMs, meets aspiring writers for coffee and encourages people to cold email, cold message, and be “a bit annoying”. “If one person responds, it is great.”

The path into publishing is also less dependent on being chosen by a magazine than it once was. Substack and social platforms allow writers to build a body of work on their own terms. Still, Lai says the modern editor must be more than a writer. “I do not think anyone is a straight writer anymore,” she says.

A colleague recently used the term “creative generalist”, which Lai thinks captures the shift. A writer should understand narrative, but also visual direction, video, audience, packaging, commerce and platform behaviour.

“All of that is important,” she says, “and it bolsters your writing.”

On the Future of Fashion Media

The most difficult part of Lai’s role is not celebrity, pressure or the demand to produce at speed. It is the instability of the industry around her.

“Traditional media has never been in a more volatile position,” she says. 

For years, digital publishing was seen as the answer to the decline of print. That certainty has disappeared.

“People were talking about the death of print for ages,” Lai says. “Now it is even really the death of digital media.”

The line between old and new media has narrowed, while advertising money has shifted towards platforms and individual creators. Vogue must participate in that system without becoming indistinguishable from it.

“The most difficult part of the job is: how do you evolve a brand while keeping true to its roots, but also understanding that technology and consumer behaviour are shifting radically in a really short period of time?”

That question returns to the idea of custodianship. Preserving authority does not mean insisting that the future must resemble the past. It means recognising what must remain intact when everything around it changes.

Ultimately, Lai’s role places her at that threshold: between the magazine and the platform, the archive and the feed, the past and the future.

___________________________________________________________

Behind the Seams is a series by Chloe Lei that explores the paths of those who began in law before finding their way into fashion.

Through conversations with fashion founders, designers and creatives, the series offers a glimpse into what it really takes to step away from the conventional path and follow the pull of fashion.

The post A Million Girls Would Kill for This Job: In Conversation with Vogue Australia’s Head of Brand, Gladys Lai appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

On paper, law and fashion seem to belong in two different worlds. Law is built on hierarchy, precision and precedent. Fashion is built on desire, excitement and taste. But each, in its own way, is a closed world with its own language, gatekeepers and unspoken rules. 

For Hoang, fashion did not present itself as a clear career path. “Until you are in it, unless you have access to it, or your family knows someone, or your parents know someone, it does not feel like a traditional career path,” she tells me. “It is quite opaque to people who are not already in it.”

I caught up with Hoang to discuss the law degree before the label, the making of ANNA QUAN, and the discipline behind a brand that appears effortless.

On Studying Law

You studied law and journalism before moving into fashion. What initially drew you to law?

I kind of fell into it. It was a good base to learn about the world. If you want to be a writer, understanding how the world is structured is helpful. That was something else I was interested in. I thought law would be exciting because you would meet new people and do different things.

Was there a point where you realised that if you wanted to pursue fashion instead of law, you had to do it then, rather than later?

My husband was the one who said, “If you really want to pursue this, you have to do it now, because the money is going to get too good if you do not. You will go into the job, the money will become too good, and you will never come back and do the thing you want to do.”

Did your legal background shape the way you approached building the brand?

Building the brand was more about articulating and building out product and a brand feeling. I do not think that came from studying law or becoming a solicitor. It came more from life experience. I knew I wanted to create a brand that filled a gap for me and made me feel creatively fulfilled.

On Breaking into Fashion

How did you begin to research how to get into fashion?

I was in the third year of my law degree, and I thought to myself, “I really want to do this”. I was not sure what I would do once I finished law, but I knew I had always been drawn to fashion. 

I started applying for fashion internships while I was in law school, but people would say, “No, you are not right. You do not have the training.” Then someone who very kindly rejected me said, “You should go and do this course. This is the course you study if this is what you want to do.” 

That started the process. It was research 101: what is the course, what are the requirements, how do you get in, how many people do they accept, what other courses are available, and how do they compare?

How did you get into the fashion design course?

You could not just enrol. You had to be selected. The process involved a portfolio submission, a drawing exam, a design exam and an interview. The first threshold was the portfolio. If they liked the portfolio, you were selected to sit the exam. 

The exam had two parts. One was drawing, where you had to sketch what you saw. The second was to design a winter look and a summer look. Everyone was given the same fabrics to look at and touch, and then you had to go back and sketch a winter look and a summer look. 

After that, you did the interview. They would decide how you had performed in the other assessments, talk to you, and decide whether they thought you had potential.

How did you feel going through that process?

Firstly, I could not draw. Before I could even properly consider applying, I did drawing classes for a whole year. There were thousands of people applying for fewer than 100 places. At the time, it was very competitive to get in. It was not like going to a private fashion college where you pay money and get a diploma. It was selective. You could not pay your way in. 

It was more competitive than law school.

They needed to identify that you were a member of their tribe. Fashion can be very tribal. It is not a meritocracy. Marks mean nothing. Having a high ATAR means nothing. 

You could have a great portfolio, a great drawing, and a great design on paper, but if they did not think you were part of their tribe, you were not going to get in.

What do you mean when you say, “fashion can be very tribal”?

I think you had to know and get to know the right people, and understand who would be assessing you. For me, I had already been studying with one of the teachers who was one of the core decision-makers. He had seen a lot of my drawings over the year because he had been training me for the exam.

On leaving stability behind

What did it feel like stepping away from the more conventional legal career path?

When I was studying design, towards the end of it, a lot of my friends were becoming senior associates. One of them became a partner very young, at a top-tier firm. A lot of my friends became senior associates while I was still completing my studies.

How did that feel at the time?

I wish I could say I did not care, but I did feel a bit left behind. I was still a student, and I did not really have a career path. I knew I was going to finish, but I did not know whether I would have a successful career by the end of it, or even a stable one.

Some people said I was wasting my time. They thought it was a pipe dream and that I was wasting my talent. They probably do not remember saying that now.

Was there a turning point when you felt like you had ‘made it’?

I do not think so. People might think that because I go to Paris four times a year, and to New York, London and other places, and I do lots of different things. But I never really feel like, “I have finally made it.” There is always something else you want to do or explore.

On Building ANNA QUAN

When you first launched your label, what did you need to put in place from a business or legal perspective?

We incorporated a company and registered business names and things like that. My husband is a lawyer, so I made him do it. He purchased a shelf company, registered the company. His background is intellectual property, so trade marks, names and corporate structures were things he was already practising in at the time.

When I started my own label, it was separate from the brand I initially started with my business partner. I bought back her one share in the company, and then I changed the corporate name and the trading name. That was it.

What do you enjoy about running the business side of things?

The running of the business is interesting because you get to do lots of different things all the time. There is the creative part, and there is also a lot of putting out fires. You are doing something different every day, which is very stimulating. Maybe too stimulating sometimes, but it suits me.

What does a day in your life look like?

Today, for example, I had a meeting with my team about change management and AI implementation. This morning I did filming, walking people through the new collection and creating short-form content for organic and paid channels.

There was some graphic design work, then I had a three-hour design meeting on a resort collection. I am also looking at fabric swatches, designing silhouettes, sketching, merchandising, and dealing with wholesale issues, like what to do if shipments are delayed or what we are willing and able to provide within certain timelines.

On the future of ANNA QUAN

What is next for ANNA QUAN?

For now, I am looking at consolidation. There are changes around taxes, tariffs, logistics, and the way fashion operates with the advancement of technology. The other day, we received our first agentic sale, which we were not expecting. We now have people shopping agentically for clothing. So for us, it is about consolidating a lot of social, structural and technological change before trying to scale further.

Behind the Seams is a series by Chloe Lei that explores the paths of those who began in law before finding their way into fashion.

Through conversations with fashion founders, designers and creatives, the series offers a glimpse into what it really takes to step away from the conventional path and follow the pull of fashion.

The post Before the Label: Anna Hoang on the Making of ANNA QUAN appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

Fabrizio Caretta is an Italian lawyer, graduated in law in Turin, where he passed the admission exam to be Admitted to the Bar and started his career as a lawyer. Since January 2017 he is the Chief Legal, Corporate & Compliance Officer director of the Dolce & Gabbana Group. Previously, he served for nearly 17 years within the Prada Group in various roles, eventually becoming the Legal Affairs Director. He began his corporate career in Fila Sport. Fabrizio regularly teaches fashion law at prestigious institutions such as the Luiss Business School in Rome and writes articles for renowned legal journals; recently, he contributed a chapter to the book Fashion & Law, current trends and new challenges by Professor Angel Del Vecchio. He regularly participates as a speaker at conferences on fashion law and new technologies. He has received numerous awards for his work, most recently the In-House Counsel of the Year award in 2023 for the categories Fashion, Design & Luxury.

Radha Khera, is a qualified fashion lawyer having completed her second level Masters in Fashion Law from LUISS Guido Carli, Rome. She is currently practising as a Fashion & Luxury Law Attorney at Remfry & Sagar, India. 

Read the interview here:

You’ve worked with several renowned brands throughout your career. How has your legal background shaped your experience in the fashion industry?

I started my career as a lawyer in a law firm. I was lucky enough to assist some companies in the sporting goods and luxury business. One day I received a call from one of the clients, Fila Sport, that at the time was one of the biggest players in the sporting goods industry asking me to join them in the legal department; I did. And from that day I never looked back at private practice. After Fila, where my title was Italy and International Counsel, I joined the Prada Group as Legal Department Director for almost 17 years and I am now, since 8 years, the Chief Legal & compliance Director of Dolce & Gabbana Group.

Of course, working since all these years in this environment helped me know deeply, the production and distribution processes, license agreements, real estate, intellectual property issues and many other aspects. At the same time, since most part of these companies are still privately owned or in any case still managed by the founders, I worked with CEOs on a day-to-day basis, allowing a very well nuances understanding of the business. Afterall, at the end, the real secret of our job, is to enable the company to evaluate the legal risk and to adapt all measures to mitigate it and find the right solutions to reach the goals of the CEO without running risks.

In-house counsel often face the challenge of balancing legal compliance with advancing business objectives. In a fast-paced industry like fashion, how do you strike that balance, and how do you collaborate with departments such as production, marketing and retail?

This answer is strictly linked to the preceding one. Our business is really fast, as you correctly said, and our aim is always to prevent problems so we need to be aware of and ascertain potential issues much in advance. For example, years ago, in 2018, our style department decided to promote a new bag. They were convinced that it would have been a huge success and that this bag had to be advertised and exhibited differently. So they decided to avoid putting the bag in the hands of the models during the catwalk (as is usual) but rather decided to fly drones on the catwalk bringing those bags. If you take a look on the internet you will surely find such catwalk, it was on all the press. As you can imagine we immediately had to figure out the potential legal risks to fly drones in a closed space, with people in attendance few meters from the catwalk …….

At the end we were able to have enough legal grounds to provide an opinion to the relevant offices and the catwalk took place. Finally, that night we slept well…….

ESG considerations have come to the forefront in recent years. With growing pressure to reduce fashion’s environmental footprint, how have you navigated these challenges from a legal perspective?

ESG is of paramount importance today. The legal department cooperates with the ESG team providing opinions and writing procedures. We have been actively involved in the incorporation of the Re:Crea consortium: a consortium founded by 6 of the most important fashion groups in Italy (besides Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Moncler, Ermenegildo Zegna, OTB Group and Max Mara) with the aim of improving the circular economy, the recycling of old products and, more in general, to find new ways to increase the activity of those companies in the environmental issues.

The role of in-house counsel increasingly blends legal expertise with strategic business insight. What emerging legal trends do you see shaping the future of in-house legal roles, particularly in the fashion sector?

I do not want to repeat myself but in this sector a lawyer should be very creative; not always it is easy to translate in legal documents the will of the CEOs without avoiding legal issues; we must be very firm in convincing our CEO about the opportunity to do or not do something. And to be able to convince them, we must show a very deep legal background but also strong management skills.

What advice would you offer young lawyers preparing to enter a legal landscape that’s rapidly evolving with technological, environmental, and cultural shifts?

New colleagues must, in addition to the normal skills of an in-house lawyer, dedicate a lot of attention to new technologies. I believe that there will be no more room for lawyers who are not able to manage AI, blockchain and all the other new tools. 

Dolce & Gabbana operates globally, across diverse legal and cultural landscapes. How has your experience been managing cross-border legal issues and adapting to different regulatory environments?

It is not only a matter of regulatory environments. It is more a cultural issue. Discussing the same license agreement can be very much different in US or in Japan. Our skills must enable us to interpret our role differently adapting ourselves to different cultures, approaches, way of thinking. But, on the other hand, it is one of the things I love most in my job, the possibility to meet people from every part of the world, to keep in touch with different cultures, mindsets and so on.

Collaborations and licensing agreements are central to luxury branding. What are your key considerations when negotiating such agreements to ensure both legal soundness and brand integrity?

It is very difficult to provide a recipe. Probably every brand has its own. The only big license of Dolce & Gabbana is related to eyewear and Essilux is our partner since so many years that I do not even remember when it started. Coming to our collaborations in terms of co-branding we are always choosing Italian brands with heritage, like Bialetti for coffee machines, Donnafugata for wines, Fiasconaro for panettoni…..just to give some examples

Counterfeiting remains a major challenge for luxury brands. Could you share your approach to combating counterfeits, particularly in markets like India?

In Dolce & Gabbana we are quite lucky because for us, compared to others, counterfeit do not represent a major issue. Being mostly an apparel producer and changing collections very often, our products represent a challenge for counterfeitors that would be obliged to invest a lot of money to stay up to date vis-a-vis our collections.

How would you describe your experience whilst dealing with Indian legal market?

Unfortunately I do not have a wide experience with the Indian legal market since the companies I worked for did not enter very deeply in the Indian market yet but I am sure that in the next years I will have the opportunity to approach the Indian legal market as well

What guidance would you offer professionals aspiring to build a career in fashion law?

First of all they should have a strong legal background; then they should try to get possibly a master in Fashion Law and they should have a very flexible approach in terms of soft skills. Working in this industry implies the fact that rarely you will be able to do what you planned the day before, there is always something new going on and you should be able to change your approach and your tasks according to the needs coming day by day. But, I promise, you will never get bored.

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The post In Conversation with Fabrizio Caretta, Chief Legal, Corporate and Compliance Officer at Dolce & Gabbana Group appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

1) Can you tell a little bit about yourself

I have done my undergrad from NIFT, Delhi and MBA from ISB Hyderabad. I started my career with the fashion and retail segment of Aditya Birla Group where I worked across 3 very diverse roles – product management, key account management, and brand management. In my second professional stint, I joined the fast-paced e-commerce industry with Nykaa where I worked in the category function of the fashion vertical.

2) How was your experience at Aditya Birla Group?

Aditya Birla Group is known for building leaders; it is a pioneer when it comes to the fashion industry. I couldn’t have asked for a better and more process-driven company to start my professional journey. Further, it has some of the most amazing minds in the industry and I was fortunate to work closely with some of the leaders in the early stages of my career.

The systems and practices followed at ABFRL are an industry benchmark and it was great learning to experience it first-hand across different roles. The foundation laid at ABG really helped me grow in my career subsequently.

3) Tell us a little about how this works, product management and brand management.

You are basically the custodian of the brand and responsible for the assortment and merchandise build-up. Constantly innovating and making products to cater to varied needs of the customers is the most critical deliverable. Further, the interesting part about the role is involvement across the whole lifecycle of the product from concept to consumer.

4) How did you decide to do an MBA?

While I was enjoying and getting good progress in my work at ABG, I felt to reach my long-term goals, I had to build a strong repertoire of skill-set. That’s when I decided to enrol for a professional course. Further, NIFT helped build my creativity. I wanted to develop the analytical and management traits through a dedicated program.

5) You were a part of the fashion vertical at Nykaa; tell us about that time in your life?

When I joined Nykaa, the fashion business was still at a nascent stage. I was part of the team that strategized and launched the men’s business. For a platform primarily known for women, building men’s business was one-of-its-kind challenge. With the team’s dedication and right inputs from the leadership, we were able to carve an interesting proposition in Nykaa’s portfolio.

6) What are the key responsibilities for category team in Nykaa?

Category team has a direct responsibility of delivering the budgeted target sales numbers. Onboarding relevant and exciting brands, ensuring right depth and breadth of assortment across categories, drive marketing campaigns across platforms, ensure timely and proper delivery of products, etc are some of the levers used by category team

7) How does law play a role in all these things?

Before a brand becomes live on the platform, it is essential to close the agreement. Legal agreement is the cornerstone for any kind of partnership with external brands. It is a detailed document with all the clauses and terms-of-trade mentioned clearly. The width and depth of points mentioned in the agreement is astounding.

As part of the business team, we had to close the agreements with the legal team. It was a great learning as the intricacies really helped in building a rounded perspective

8) Did you have a similar experience with law in ABFRL?

While Nykaa was still at a nascent stage when I joined, ABFRL was at a very mature stage. Agreements with legal clauses were already in place when I joined the firm. Handling and managing these things first hand in Nykaa proved a great learning.

9) What is the process of listing new brands at Nykaa?

Either the brands can approach the portal or the category team scouts for relevant brands to offer the right variety to the customers. Nykaa is particular about the assortment on the website so the category team is judicious while shortlisting brands.

10) How have shopping trends changed after COVID?

Right after COVID, we had noticed the share of the comfort wear remained on a higher side across genders and categories. Now the pre-covid levels are back. Offline business got impacted during different waves; but now with normalcy prevailing, the offline channel is showing extremely positive trend.

11) What tips would you give to someone launching the brand on e-commerce website

With so many brands being available online, it is very critical to have a strong talking point for customers to connect with a brand. This could be aesthetics, fabric, finish, etc. Also, it is very important to have a strong control on the supply chain and the P&L to ensure long-term sustainable growth.

The post Fashion to Management: Exploring Harshit Kumar’s Journey from NIFT Delhi to ISB appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

Q1. Can you give a brief about your background? How has your journey been so far from a Law Student to Managing Associate, Remfry & Sagar?

After finishing my law school (Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law, Delhi University), I wanted to experience legal knowledge on a global perspective and I pursued my first Master’s in Law from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Studying Intellectual Property, Entertainment law and legal issues in motions pictures ignited this flame for Intellectual Property. After my Masters, I trained with an amazing lawyer in Long Beach, and soon after joined Remfry & Sagar, a name that needs no introduction for IP. This was end of 2012 and my experience therefrom has been nothing short of a joyride! 

I believe, once a lawyer, always a student! The pace at which the world around us is changing, one ought to upskill and stay on top of their game. This is good not only for competition but also serving your clients holistically! The role of a lawyer has changed – we are not merely legal advisors but also strategists and business developers. I have always loved Fashion (who doesn’t anyway)! Working with Remfry got me exposed to the Fashion industry and its peculiar needs and I decided to pursue my second Masters and be trained by the experts in the field. Luiss School of Law in Rome had a great program offering with esteemed faculty including counsel from renowned French and Italian fashion houses. I recently graduated with a second Master’s Degree and continuing my journey as an Intellectual Property and Fashion Lawyer with Remfry, better equipped to serve all brands we work for.  

Q2. You are active in fashion law practice, walk us to your work in this domain. What exactly is a day to day work profile of a fashion lawyer?

As a dynamic field, the Fashion Industry witnesses multi-disciplinarian legal issues and typically, the work of a Fashion lawyer includes providing legal assistance through the life cycle of a fashion product. From setting up a brand/ company, to protection and enforcement of intellectual property, commercial transactions and agreements, supply chain management, compliances and labelling, to even issues governing manufacturing such as health and safety practices of labourers, there are many domains requiring eye for detail. In the world of Web3 with metaverses and NFTs an understanding of technology laws and influencer marketing, new age agreements, smart contracts, terms of model engagement, influencer and celebrity endorsements and liability per governing laws are just a few of the many legal issues that a fashion lawyer ought to be aware of. Issues of data privacy, product liability and consumer protection also walk along with brand strategy, labelling requirements, brand communication strategies and so much more. Incase of violations and disagreements, dispute resolution through ADR or litigation is also an essential part of the role of a fashion lawyer. Fashion is global and India is leading with globalisation. An understanding of the international market and following trends is also something that comes handy. 

Q3. You pursued LLM in Fashion Law from LUISS School of Law. How was your experience?

Unfortunately, COVID peaked during the tenure of my course which resulted in few of the classes being taken remotely. Although I must confess, LUISS was extremely professional and technologically adept in ensuring that engagement in terms of assignments and practical lessons was as effective as in person lectures. From the content of the course, to the structure, faculty and guest lecturers, everyone was very accessible and helpful. I literally had the best time writing my thesis (when infact to begin with, I dreaded writing 55 pages!) with my mentor, a leading counsel from a leading Fashion Brand.

Q4. What career advice would you like to give to prospective Law students looking to break into the fashion industry?

For law students aspiring to be Fashion Lawyers, I think a good start would be to pursue a course in Fashion Law. Recently there are structured courses/ degrees on Fashion Law and It is always a good idea to begin with the right academic knowledge. One learns practically yes, but a thorough academic backing goes a long way. For others who would like to take the self-taught way, read read and read! Persistence is key and if you truly know this is your call, go for it! Fashion always sounds glamourous but as fashion lawyers we must be ready to see the flip side of Fashion as well. 

Q5. According to you what are the legal issues/challenges in fashion industry, considering the advancement with introduction of metaverse, AI, Blockchain, etc in fashion?

I think the Meta-bubble/ blockchain/ NFT’s are raising legal concerns across industries and fashion happens to be one of them. The biggest challenge we’ve all been reading about pertains to protection and enforcement of intellectual property in the Metaverse. Law suits across the globe such as the MetaBirkin case, have had several brands seek protection of their trademarks in the metaverse. The IP fraternity even contemplated whether the current NICE classification is exhaustive enough to encompass protection in the meta space. Also, the concept of Trademark protection is territorial, and Metaverse is a universe without territory, increasing strategic work for and by brands. That said, since these developments and moves by brands into this space has been rather recent, the coming times would address these challenges it is hoped. 

Meanwhile, if I were to personally argue the case for Metaverse and protection extending to that world, it is like someone’s social media profile – an avatar which is yours and handled by you, an extension of your reality! I see no reason why laws of the real world cannot extend to the virtual reality. 

If we were to keep these issues at bay and not worry about protection or enforcement in the space, Metaverse can actually prove to be the biggest solution to sustainability concerns in the fashion industry! As an industry considered to be one contributing significantly to environmental degradation, virtual stores, virtual trial of clothes, show casing of designs prior to production (in turn saving textile waste), fashion shows on the Metaverse may have a good impact on sustainability concerns undermining several brands. Additionally, NFTs can open additional streams of revenue generation. Many brands have started selling virtually through crypto as well. 

The fashion industry has been one of the most dynamic industries, but with the changes coming along in the past year or so, even the most established and renowned brands are having to re look their brand strategy to appeal to conscious millennials and digitally engaged GenZ. These are exciting times in the world of Fashion and the coming months shall throw additional light on resolving the current issues faced by the meta-indulge. 

Q6. How can the counterfeit risk be mitigated?

Before I talk about mitigating risk of Counterfeiting, I feel it very important to highlight that many of us do not realise this, but when we as consumers also indulge in purchase of counterfeit products, we contribute to the running of an illegal world, one which is not only dangerous to health but also humanity! 

For brand owners, it is very important to protect and enforce their intellectual property, adopting global monitoring strategies and acting at even the smallest instance of violation. I understand the world is big and one may not come across every possible instance of violation, but a strong watch service coupled with frequent market surveys, registering oneself with customs could be some ways of tackling counterfeits. If a brand is aggressive in its approach, I feel that acts as a deterrent. If on the other hand, a brand chooses not to take action against counterfeiters, it just allows them to monetise your brand value and dilute your trademark.  That’s not a win for anyone – neither your brand value, nor your consumers. Brand owners have a responsibility towards their consumers, and consumers too must act responsible and not partake in purchasing decisions obviating counterfeit sales. 

Q7. As we continue to see emerging influencers and digital marketing these days. How do see the placement of law and legal issues arising in this domain? 

The influencer industry has boomed in the recent past and digital marketing is key strategy now-a-days for many brands. Celebrity branding has always been a part of the retail industry and influencers are not considered anything less than celebrities now-a-days, making it much easier for the law makers, consumers and brand owners to be on a legally and mutually co-existing place. Lacunae felt in the advertisement and consumer laws after witnessing an increasing trend in consumer purchase decisions basis endorsements have brought about significant changes also making celebrities responsible for their endorsements in the interest of public. 

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) released Guidelines for Celebrities in Advertising directed both to the Advertiser and Celebrity. Onus was cast on celebrities to ensure due diligence before endorsing any claims. Influencer Advertising Guidelines for Digital Media were also released by ASCI recently pursuant to which disclosure of ‘material connection’ between the advertiser and the influencer is mandatory. Such material connection includes even receiving free or unsolicited gifts, trips etc. 

The Indian Government has also been taking steps to regulate digital and influencer marketing and recently The Central Board of Direct Taxes issued new guidelines on influencer taxes. Social media influencers are now liable to pay tax deducted at source (TDS) on gifts/ freebies received or other forms of payments made in kind, if the value of the product is above INR 20,000 (approximately USD 250). 

New guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, were also notified by the Central Consumer Protection Authority for prevention of false or misleading advertisements and endorsements.

I feel changes like these amply communicate that any portal making consumers susceptible to making purchasing choices is not free from review/ scrutiny. In my opinion, the current laws in place seem to be at par with the requirement at this juncture. For anything else that may not be covered, well drafted and well-structured agreements between brands and celebrities/ influencers of social media platforms, may be resorted to incase of any conflicting situation.  

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The post In Conversation with Radha Khera on Fashion and Law appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

1- Can you tell us what’s your role at Dior and what does it concern?

I’m Legal, Ethics and Compliance Director EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) – a region of almost 30 countries -. I manage a legal team of 6 people. Principally, we follow the legal aspects of the whole supply chain, from the production – part of it is based in Italy – to the commercialization of the final product, passing through corporate governance, service agreements, real estate and events (when not managed centrally); in general, all the legal matters around the life of a boutique and a local subsidiary within the Region Europe and Middle East.

2- What’s your educational and professional background? How much is important, as a legal, to achieve language skills?

My journey was very complex, with many attempts. I graduated in law, at the University of Rome, and I started the notary path. I abandoned it for many reasons and then I decided to become a lawyer. After my career in a law firm, I started to work for Heineken and I stayed there for 5 years: with this experience I definitely switched to the in-house career.

Later, I moved to Fendi and, now, I have been working at Dior for almost 3 years. When I started my career in fashion law this field didn’t have recognition. The figure of the fashion lawyer already existed but it didn’t have a name and it wasn’t recognized, while now it is for sure. I didn’t attend specific courses on fashion law, simply because they didn’t exist. I learned everything through my experience and my legal knowledge. So much so that, I took part in the creation of the first Master in fashion law at LUISS University, in Italy, with Ms. Angela Del Vecchio and we worked together to create, effectively, THE fashion lawyer as it is nowadays.

I studied English and German, in young age, and I improved English with experience. I didn’t really know French and never studied it, so I learned it once I came in France with Dior. Professionally, the most important skill is the English one because, in a company, you find yourself working with people from very different countries. Anyway, French is a plus, for sure, and it becomes mandatory when you decide to live in Paris and work with French people. In the fashion law field, maybe, French could be more important than English, but I don’t think it is mandatorial.

3- As a legal, how do you relate with other departments (e.g. production, retail, etc)?

Collaboration is fundamental, both for lawyers and legals, and it is very important in order to understand the business. This depends, mainly, on the lawyer’s curiosity. I think that curiosity is one of the most important things in this job. If you don’t know the business, you could give not useful or even wrong advice. Additionally, because the fashion field is very fast and challenging, if you don’t know your client’s needs the risk is to “stop” – create troubles – the business.

In order to add something more to your job, you have to speak with people, go to places, learn as much as possible about the business: know the industry deeply. Therefore, collaboration and curiosity are the most important qualities in order to work harmoniously with other departments.

4- What’s the most important area in which a fashion company looks for employees? Is the legal one of them?

In most of the industries, not only fashion type, support roles (legal, finance, etc.) are more suffering as a research-of-staff point of view. If the core business is production or selling, those will be the biggest ones in terms of workforce. Despite that, legal support is very important and the industry knows that it is fundamental.

Honestly, I saw an increase of the legal area in the last years, not only in fashion companies.

5- What’s the relationship between in-house and external lawyers?  

It depends. When we need particular or specific technicalities or knowledge it is fundamental to work with external lawyers (e.g. due diligence, acquisitions, etc).

On the other side, we work with external lawyers in foreign countries: in this case the lawyer is our referent and representative for that area. This happens because we can’t follow all the specific procedures in every country and we can’t be always there physically.

We work mostly in-house because fashion is a really fast industry and it is difficult to receive a real time feedback from externals. We are very business oriented and we have to give quick response to business and to different departments. We are their reference, their advisor and our role is to manage risks and crises.

Despite that, sometimes we need an external support for the above reasons.

6- How much is important, for a legal position, the knowledge of the fashion world?

According to me it is essential, as a legal in-house or as an external consultant. That’s because this is a specific and particular sector, so the lawyer needs to know the maison, the group history, the core business. A standard approach doesn’t work for us.

It is really important to have passion and a fashion culture. This is a world of enthusiasts and it is important to be on the same wavelength of the client. We want somebody that knows the industry, that is passionate and that has a brand knowledge, also from an image and reputational point of view. That’s the only way to be efficient and to be an added value.

7- What’s the ideal path for who’s interested in fashion law, in particular at Dior?

There are three main pillars for a fashion legal, as an in-house but also as an external: real estate (core business of many fashion industries), IP rights (but in a very smart way: not only anticounterfeiting, but also collaborations, marketing, etc), industrial law (production, suppliers, contracts, etc).

Also, compliance (anticorruption, anti moneylaundering, etc) and sustainability are really actual and useful – even if I think that the last one could constitute an independent department (because it doesn’t involve only legal knowledge but also a very technical and practical support) -. Nowadays, it is very important also the knowledge of the digital law world (NFTs, blockchain, metaverse, etc). On the contrary, I don’t think it would be so helpful a background on administrative law, criminal law, tax law (maybe it could be useful in the finance area), M&A or litigation.

8- What is your advice for those who want to look for a job like yours? 

For sure it is important to have a solid base on the above topics. It is very important to have skills in as more languages as possible (at least 3 languages – where English and French are the best, in my opinion). Now it is more difficult and the level is always higher: there is a high competition, especially in fashion law and especially for in-house positions. I think that being a young lawyer or a young legal is an added value because of the different worldview, the digital skills, the freshness, the knowledge of new technologies.

Fashion is really fast, as I said, so freshness, young age and determination are your strength. This market is not inaccessible, but it is important to give an added value and be specialized in new fields.

9- How have COVID and war impacted on your job and in the fashion industry?

Covid and war are two particular circumstances that have never been experienced before, so nobody knew how to manage them. Despite this, those helped many industries to understand the value of a good in-house lawyer. That’s because when there was the necessity to take important and fast decisions, this was totally on us. For example: open or close the production, being able to organize a catwalk (or online catwalk), security matters… legal decisions had (and still have) immediate reactions on business.

So we are almost entrepreneurs inside the industry. Covid gave us a strong impact on the business and on many decisions. We achieved a great visibility in the company.

We used to work on the background and now we are more entrepreneurial and we take many risks, giving feedbacks based only on our legal knowledge and this was (and is right now) very challenging.

10- What’s the strategy, in particular for fashion luxury industry, to achieve and manage sustainability?

We are not omniscient, and this is a very technical topic. So I think that the role of a legal should be more centred on avoid the risk of greenwashing or paying attention on marketing strategies. The in-house lawyer has to guide the process through communication and decisions, working together with production and technical departments.

The post In Conversation with Mr. Lorenzo Maria Di Vecchio: Legal, Ethics & Compliance Director EMEA at Christian Dior Couture appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.

Q1. Can you give a brief about your background? How has your journey been so far from an International Lawyer to Director of the Luiss LLM in Fashion Law ?

I have taught and practiced International Law and European Union Law for about forty years. This branch of law is undoubtedly important for the regulation and management of the world of fashion. World, which, beyond studies, has always fascinated me. That’s why LUISS School of Law asked me to direct its LLM in Fashion Law. And, of course, I accepted the proposal enthusiastically.

Q2. As a director of LUISS LLM in Fashion Law, what is the teaching methodology deployed to help students understand the different areas of Fashion Law? What is the general profile of students who take the LLM course?

In order to develop and improve professional abilities and personal skills, we comprehensively address all of the legal matters and expertise involved in the regulation of the fashion sector. We provide classes, workshops, practical and experiential learning activities and, above all, direct contact with general counsels of important brands, professional, lawyers, markets leaders and academics.

Most of the students who take the LLM course are graduated in Law.

Q3. What is the relation between Fashion Law and IPR? Do students need to opt for IP as major in college to form a base in Fashion Law?

It is an indissoluble connection. In the LLM in Fashion Law we provide an entire module which tackles the rules governing IPR in the fashion sector, from copyright protection to norms safeguarding design, patent rights and know how. The module also provides a complete understanding of the legal instruments for the defense of fashion brands from infringements of trademark to protection of their IPR.

Opting for IP as a major in college is definitely a great investment.

Q4. If someone is interested in Fashion Law, how to pursue it? Can you suggest courses or firms/organizations where students can apply for Fashion Law?

Fashion Law is not adequately studied in law schools. A prestigious LLM in Fashion Law is therefore strongly suggested.

Q5. Where have the graduates gone on to work, and where is the most demand for this line of work in particular?

Fashion Lawyers are employed by both in house legal departments of fashion companies and  most renowned legal firms specialized in this area of law.

Q6. What do you think is the biggest challenge in the future of fashion law, considering the impact of the pandemic?

In the past 18 months, the traditional consumer behavior has dramatically changed: stores have been closed for long periods; travels have been restricted while e-commerce is experiencing a boom. Therefore, fashion lawyers are required to pay increasing attention to the complex legal issues linked with Digital Markets. For example, they need a more robust knowledge of privacy and consumer protection laws as well as of the international rules concerning the fight against “cyber counterfeiting”.

Q7. What career advice would you like to give to prospective LLM students looking to break into the industry?

The fashion market is not looking for “prêt-à-porter” traditional lawyers. Prospective LLM students must “tailor” their legal education. They should invest in a master focused on each legal issue of the entire cycle of fashion production, commerce and supply chain as well as on the dispute resolution systems available in the fashion sector.

Q8. In this time of COVID, what is your opinion with opportunities in Fashion Law?

In a scenario where everything is changing, the Fashion Industry is looking for a new generation of lawyers. In addition to the consequences of coronavirus, the market is eventually impacted by the increasing attention payed by the civil society to green-economy and social justice.

Excellent opportunities will open up for those who demonstrate their mastery of the continuous transformations of fashion law.

Q9. Any advice that you would like to give to students, professionals or lawyers who aspire to pursue a career in Fashion Law?

As I have just said, continuing training and updating on new legal issues, is my advice. It is apparently a classic and universal advice. In reality, in the current world of fashion it is the main condition to become an esteemed, well-paid expert.

The post In Conversation with Ms. Angela Del Vecchio: Fashion Law appeared first on Fashion Law Journal.