First event in the series tackles the importance of Intellectual Property Law for Dubai’s Design Industry
March 18, 2015, Dubai, UAE:
Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC),
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,
held its inaugural ‘DDFC Talks’ session. This new series of monthly events is designed to provide a platform for collaboration and knowledgee
sharing for the benefit of the local design industry.
The first event in the DDFC Talks series, entitled: ‘Intellectual Property Laws in the Middle East: Protect Your
Designs’, brought designers and legal experts together to tackle a critical issue for the region’s creative talent, that of
Intellectual Property (IP) law. 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.
Hosted
at Dubai Design Days, the panel for the session included Nez Gebreel,
DDFC’s CEO, Omar Obeidat, Partner & Head of Intellectual Property at
law firm Al
Tamimi and Urban Commissions prize winner, Anna Szonyi and moderated by
Annabelle De Gersigny, strategy and partnership development manager at
Tashkeel.
Nez Gebreel, CEO of the 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 & 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.”
Anna Szonyi, Emerging Designer and winner of the Urban Commissions Competition
said: “IP
is extremely important for designers such as myself however it seems
like a complicated and time consuming process. This discussion is a
great opportunity to get
familiar with the processes instantly instead of researching on the
topic through various information sources and channels. I would like to
thank DDFC for hosting this talk and supporting designers through the
DDFC Talk Series.
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.
