Good article in the New York Times on small fashion creators and how the big manufacturers knock off their designs (That Looks Familiar. Didn't I Design It?). How creativity and intellectual property work in the fashion industry is fascinating and this article provides some of the reasons why. I particularly like the conclusion:

Many designers adapt by simply withdrawing from the public eye. After a particularly traumatic knockoff experience, said Amanda Keidan, a jewelry designer in New York, she did just that. She now primarily designs jewelry for private clients.

Not Ms. Dreyfuss, however. She says she has added a larger bag with a circular handle to her collection. In the next few months, she said, she will invest much time marketing her latest creation - and not worry about possible knockoffs.