Top designers and legal experts came together to tackle a critical issue for the region’s creative talent, that of intellectual property law, in Dubai, UAE, recently.

The inaugural ‘DDFC Talks,’ entitled ‘Intellectual Property Laws in the Middle East: Protect Your Designs,’ was organised by Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC), which was established in late 2013 by the Dubai government to position Dubai as a global hub for design and fashion in the Middle East region and to nurture regional talent.

The new series of monthly events has been designed to provide a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing for the benefit of the local design industry, said a statement.

Identified by the design community as a serious threat to its business growth, adequate knowledge of IP laws is crucial in order for designers to be able to protect their creative output, and to safeguard both the value of their brand and their design integrity.
 
The event focused on how designers can protect their designs and the steps they need to take to ensure their creations remain unique in the market.

As the IP regulatory framework across the Middle East is at an early stage of development, it can often prove difficult to navigate for emerging designers, in part due to difficulties in interpretation of existing laws, in addition to a lack of knowledge about the laws and their application.
 
Nez Gebreel, chief executive officer, Design and Fashion Council, said: “The Dubai Design and Fashion Council is committed to nurturing regional design talent.  To do that, we need to ensure that designers from the UAE and the region are provided with advice on all topics related to their success in the creative industries.

“We understand that to facilitate and drive the growth of the design community, we need to engage with them to identify and help them overcome the challenges they face.”
 
Omar Obeidat, partner and head of Intellectual Property at law firm Al Tamimi, said: “We need synergy in Intellectual Property legislation across all GCC markets so that we close the current loopholes in protection and enable the design industry, and others working with IP, to flourish.

“The Government of Dubai and across the GCC should continue to send a strong message that IP infringement will not be tolerated and strong sanctions await those who try to flout the laws. I think events like the DDFC Talks session are vital if we are to assist in the development of the design industry so that it reaches its potential in terms of contribution towards the wider economy.”
 
The DDFC Talks series will be hosting monthly talks on business and design related topics.  Future events will host experts on strategy and business planning, social media and marketing, company registration and legal contracts along with seminars on design thinking, interior design and fashion criticism.

The DDFC Talks series will provide an interactive environment for designers to learn hands on skills that will add value to their design work and provide them with proper tools to develop their business. - TradeArabia News Service