Master in International Fashion Law
- Barcelona, Spain
- Online
Master degree
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning, On-Campus, Blended
The Master in International Fashion Law at ISDE is a pioneering and specialized program that combines in-depth legal studies with a practical understanding of the fashion, luxury, and cosmetics industries. Designed to provide a global and interdisciplinary education, this master’s program prepares legal and business professionals to face the legal and strategic challenges of a dynamic, creative, and ever-evolving industry.
The program’s objectives are:
- To provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal framework governing the fashion sector, including intellectual property, digital law, sustainability, and compliance.
- To develop practical skills in drafting, negotiating, and managing contracts specific to the industry.
- To foster a business-oriented and strategic vision from a legal perspective.
- To offer an international academic and professional experience, including a training stay in Milan with leading institutions in the sector.
- To connect students with a faculty composed of professionals from top law firms, brands, and companies.
The program is divided into 8 thematic blocks, each with a specific weight in the final grade. At the end of each module, an assessment is conducted.
An In-house Perspective
- Introduction to fashion law
- The role of the in-house lawyer in a fashion house.
- Negotiating and drafting contracts in the fashion industry
- Relationship between in-house counsel and external advisor: the need for an expert in the field of fashion law
- Marketing in the field of fashion: a legal perspective
- How to start a business in the fashion industry.
- Sectoral expertise: luxury, sportive goods, bridal fashion, etc.
Cosmetics
- General Regulatory Framework for Cosmetics
- From Concept to Market: The Roadmap for Cosmetic Products (Legal and Contractual Lifecycle of a Cosmetic Product)
- Selective Distribution Systems in the Cosmetics Industry
- Self-Regulation and Industry Codes of Conduct
- Claims, Advertising, and Digital Marketing in Cosmetics
- Misleading advertising issues
- Intellectual Property and Brand Protection
- Sustainability, Environmental Compliance, and CSR
Corporate Law
M&A; Financing and Investment Contracts in fashion
- Bank financing
- Direct funding
- Venture capital
- The strategic investor
- EXIT and CRISIS
- a) The exit of the founder/investor
- The value of the company
- The investor and his exit
- The founder and his continuity
- Sale to a third party
- b) Company crisis
- Asset protection
- Reputation protection
- Continuity
- The sale of the production unit
- Winding-up
- a) The exit of the founder/investor
- Contractual Law at FL
- Advertising, marketing, and sponsorship contracts in fashion
- Influencers and the relationship with influencers;
- Outsourcing
- EXIT and CRISIS
- International contracts in the field of fashion
- Distribution strategies and structures: agency contracts; distribution; franchising; selective distribution; retail and own shops
- Real Estate in fashion
- Competition Law in fashion
- Compliance and Corporate Social Responsibility in Fashion
- TAX at fashion
- Litigation in fashion
Intellectual Property
- General introduction to IP
- Trademarks I: scope and obtention of trademark rights. The path from choosing a sign to obtaining registration
- Trademarks II: building the portfolio, trademark maintenance, and use of the trademark
- Trademarks III: attack and defence strategy
- Patents and utility models I
- Patents and utility models II
- Trade Secrets: from inception to marketing. Protecting your pipeline. Patents v. Trade Secrets.
- Patents, utility models, and trade secrets attack and defence strategies.
- Generation of copyright, types of works, and rights covered by intellectual property.
- Work for hire, employment agreements, and collective works. Designers as creators. The importance of the correct assignment of rights.
- Copyright and fashion. Copyright v. design or copyright and design?
- Designs I: scope obtention, maintenance. Registered v. non-registered designs, strategic choices.
- Designs II: attack and defence strategies.
- Fakes, forgeries, counterfeits, and dupes with a special reference to “equivalent perfumes”: the legal and case law framework.
- Fakes, forgeries, counterfeits, and dupes: how to fight them. The counterfeit regulation.
- Recycling, Upcycling, Repairing, and second-hand sales: when “sustainability” clashes with IP.
- Enlarging the scope of IP rights and sui generis rights which impact fashion I: collective trademarks, certification trademarks, GI for artisanal and industrial products.
- Enlarging the scope of IP rights and sui generis rights which impact fashion II: inspiration v. cultural misappropriation. Traditional Knowledge, Traditional Cultural Expressions: a clash between public domain and new sui generis IP rights? Italian Codice dei beni culturali e del paesaggio and the Marchio Storico
- Joining forces: design + trademark + image. What IP rights have to be contemplated in collaborative agreements? E.g. Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama, Crocs and Balenciaga, Pharrel Williams and Adidas.
- Exploiting IP rights by fashion houses: licensing, assignment, transformation rights, etc.
- Licensing a well-known trademark: Barcelona FC
- Practical cases on the accumulation of IP protection
- Fashion in cinema and TV: film and TV costume designs, product placement, and collaboration between TV companies and fashion houses.
- IP and fashion in the Metaverse
- AI and fashion: AI creativity, ownership of AI-generated designs, from “Edmond de Belamy” to “A recent Entrance to paradise” to China’s Internet Court ruling. Generative designs, Balenciaga Neural (Robbie Barrat). Can AI infringe IP rights?
- AI tools for the fashion industry: Algorithm Couture and the reduction of waste, A-POC Able Issaye Miyake; Augmented and virtual reality retail experiences (in-store navigation, virtual apparel trials, product demonstrations), conversational AI, Virtual Assistants, fashion chatbots, etc.
- Practical case/s
Digital Law
- Transforming fashion retail in the Digital Age: an overview of EU digital regulations
- E-commerce and consumer protection in digital sales
- Platform economy: the impact of the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act on the fashion industry
- Artificial Intelligence and data regulations
- Data protection and cybersecurity
- E-Privacy: advertising based on cookies and email marketing obligations
- Legal approaches to online advertising, influencers, and social media
- Customer engagement: legal considerations for profiling and loyalty programs
Criminal Law
- Introduction to criminal law in the fashion industry
- Fashion industry companies as potential victims of criminal offences
- Fashion industry companies as potential perpetrators of criminal offences
- Criminal proceedings in Spain serve as a dispute forum to pursue misconduct and seek damages
- General framework for corporate criminal liability in Spain and the impact of corporate criminal compliance programs
- Third-party compliance due diligence obligations in supply chains
- Case study
ESG
- Introduction to ESG: concept, principles, and main due diligence standards.
- ESG criteria in corporate governance: compliance and corporate risk.
- Equality, diversity, health and safety, and human rights.
- Project finance and sustainable financing.
- Waste obligations. The extended producer responsibility regime.
- Product design and labelling.
Labour and Employment Law
- The most common employment contracts in the fashion industry are.
- Collective bargaining agreements (commerce and industry).
- Remuneration schemes.
- Working time. Work-life balance.
- Flexible measures before restructuring a company.
- Contract termination. Disciplinary and redundancy.
- Labor Harassment. Internal Investigations.
- Preparing for a court hearing with HR. Moot court.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
- International Mobility.
Students of the Master in International Fashion Law will be prepared to take on legal and strategic roles across various areas within the fashion, luxury, cosmetics, and retail-related technology sectors. Career opportunities include:
- Lawyer specialized in fashion law or intellectual property
- In-house legal advisor in fashion, beauty, or luxury companies
- Compliance officer
- Expert in sustainability and ESG applied to creative companies
- Legal counsel in e-commerce and digital retail
- Legal consultant for technology platforms linked to fashion
- Professional in law firms specializing in corporate, labor, criminal, or digital law with a focus on creative industries
In addition, the program includes professional internships that support direct entry into companies and leading law firms in the sector.
The master’s program is structured into 8 thematic modules covering key areas such as Fashion Law, Intellectual Property, Corporate Law, Criminal Law, Digital Law, ESG, Cosmetics, and Labor Law. Each module includes a specific evaluation and carries a defined weight toward the final grade.
- Schedule: Monday to Thursday, from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM
- Format: On-site, streaming, and online
- Location: ISDE – Barcelona Campus
The academic stay includes training sessions at the offices of Bonelli Erede, a prestigious Italian law firm specializing in business law, as well as organized visits to iconic companies such as Gucci and other key institutions within Milan’s fashion ecosystem.