By now, most people in the fashion industry are aware of the Trump family's pull — especially Ivanka Trump. Although her father has a line of suits and ties, Ivanka Trump has made herself a mogul in the industry, though not without pitfalls.
Trump has been persecuted by PETA for producing products that include rabbit fur, and has been accused multiple times of copying designs from lesser known designers. Most recently, Trump has been accused of copying a $785 design from Italian designer Aquazzura:
The designer called out Trump on Instagram and has filed a lawsuit since that Trump has demanded be thrown out, denying any wrongdoing. However, as this is not the first time she has been accused and the designs are so similar, it seems likely that she will have to go through with the trial.
Many have pointed out that Trump should be concerned due to wins in past cases involving large designers like Gucci and Louboutin. But what about designers that don't have the means to sue companies like Trump for stealing their ideas?
The impact on smaller brands
Some of the most publicity that these smaller brands have gotten in copyright infringement cases came in 2016 when an artist named Tuesday Bassen accused the fast-fashion company Zara of stealing her designs and selling them as their own.
Brands like Zara and Forever 21 as well as shoe companies like Steve Madden create copycat designs for lower prices everyday. Although this doesn't always affect large companies like Gucci, which will make the money back with their high prices anyway, smaller companies like Bassen's lose a lot of business.
Hopefully Trump's case will not only bring justice to a brand like Aquazzura, but will also raise awareness for more copyright infringement issues in the fashion industry today.