9 THE ITALIAN LAW JOURNAL NO. 1 (2023)
The Reproduction of Cultural Heritage and Artworks in Fashion
by Elena Varese, Valentina Mazza and Carolina Battistella The fashion industry has traditionally drawn from the world of art and culture by incorporating elements of cultural heritage and works of art into its design. Indeed, it is quite common for fashion brands to display renowned works of art and cultural heritage on catwalks, magazines and billboards. However, using such elements, whether cultural heritage or works of art, raises significant legal issues. For instance, intellectual property laws which protect the creators of works of art from unauthorized use of their creations require permission from the author and the paying of licensing fees. Also, Italy has a restrictive legislation protecting cultural heritage, which severely limits the possibility of the reproduction of cultural heritage, especially for commercial purposes, and even if the good is located on a public road. DOI 10.23815/2421-2156.ITALJ ISSN 2421-2156
