IP Talk Episode 24: Aya Cieslak-Tochigi on Legal Issues in the Fashion Industry

Aya Cieslak-Tochigi is an associate in Wolf Greenfield’s New York office. She focuses her practice on all aspects of trademark and copyright law and works closely with a range of clients, from start-up businesses to multinational corporations. 

Aya has extensive experience representing various clients over the years in the apparel/footwear and luxury goods industries for trademark and copyright matters. Most recently, she was part of the Thom Browne trial team that successfully defended trademark infringement and dilution claims against Adidas.
 
In this episode of IP Talk with Wolf Greenfield, Aya discusses the international component to her practice and her legal work focused on the fashion and apparel industry. Here are some of the highlights:

• 00:48 - Aya’s work at Wolf Greenfield
• 02:28 - There’s a strong international aspect to Aya’s practice
• 03:21 - Some of the key differences in the US trial system and the way IP law works compared to other countries
• 05:14 - How Aya became so involved in fashion and apparel
• 06:51 - Key lessons learned during the Thom Browne trial
• 08:58 - An overview of the “Rogers test” and the role it played in the Hermès v. Rothschild case
• 13:03 - How digital fashion content may potentially impact trademark and copyright issues
• 15:23 - Aya’s work mentoring students at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)