Image courtesy of Shuttershock

The Age of the Dupe Past Event

Presented by Griffith Hack

Date

Wed 29 May 3:45pm - 5:00pm

Tickets

Free, Booking Required

Venue

Citadines on Bourke Melbourne
131-135 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Access

Accessible bathroom, Seating available, Wheelchair accessible

Who doesn’t appreciate a good dupe? A dupe offers an easy, cost-effective alternative that, ideally, mirrors all the benefits of a much more ‘exclusive’ option. Prioritising authenticity over accessibility might seem out of place when individuals are grappling with the pressures of rising living costs. However, the issue is not always straightforward.

As highlighted by Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz in the Cut on 30 May 2023, ‘Today, the dupe itself holds more value than the original, with quality alternatives overshadowed by a flood of inferior imitations.’ Accessibility, particularly in the realm of fast fashion, can have significant human rights and environmental repercussions. The ethical implications vary based on the parties involved – the duplicator and the duplicated. It raises concerns when a large corporation mimics the efforts of a small indie brand. Depending on the intellectual property (IP) rights involved, this replication might fall within legally permissible boundaries. However, the public’s perception might not align with the intricacies of IP protection. Does IP rights even hold weight if public opinion can be swayed?

Edith Hamilton will lead a discussion with her co-panelists representing different perspectives on the concept of duping. The panel discussion delves into the ethical, economic, and legal dimensions of good dupes, bad dupes, rightful dupes, and wrongful dupes.

Participants

Edith Hamilton, Panel Facilitator

Edith Hamilton is a patent attorney and Principal at Griffith Hack. She works with clients to assess and pursue opportunities to further improve competitive position, increase enterprise value and better manage IP risks. Edith’s technical expertise embraces mechanical engineering, materials science and chemistry, and includes experience in advanced materials production and processing. Edith was recently listed in the IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists 2023.

Dr Marian Makkar

Dr Marian Makkar is a Senior Lecturer at RMIT. Her research falls under consumer behaviour, specifically consumer culture theory (CCT). Based on her diverse background, Marian’s research interest spans consumer culture, luxury consumption behaviours and luxury brand management, design for value co-creation and the use of technology to enhance consumer worlds. Prior to pursuing an academic career, Marian worked in luxury retail as Marketing Manager of Alfred Dunhill Limited in Dubai.

Sophie McGrath

Sophie McGrath is the Director of Sophie McGrath PR and established the business in 2015. Sophie has worked with Australia’s leading consumer, fashion, food, health and lifestyle brands across her 15-year career. Sophie works with clients in the Food and Beverage, Lifestyle, Environmental, Charity. In addition, Sophie is the Founder of Bed Intentions, a microbiome-friendly lubricant. Informed by her expertise as a publicist, Bed Intentions has a commitment to ethical practices, ensuring that the brand contributes to positive social and environmental impacts.

Lucy Davis

Lucy Davis is a Barrister who handles commercial law matters and has a keen interest in intellectual property, consumer law and the automotive industry. She approaches her work with a commercial mindset and a true understanding of business complexity and drivers. Her recent experience includes advising and appearing in a range of IP disputes in the Federal Courts, the Trade Marks Office and the Patents Office. Lucy is the chair of the Victorian committee of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand and on the editorial panel of the Australian Intellectual Property Law Bulletin.


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