House of sartorial genius? History of imitation in the modern fashion industry

This chapter unlocks the historical background to today’s fashion infrastructure starting from 1700, showing that intellectual property theft has always been a factor in commercial wars, especially those involving the US, England and France. It paints a picture of the turn of the 20th century in Paris and gives a better understanding of how fashion design was elevated to a special category of goods through marketing prowess and innovation.