You often hear of copied designs or artworks or music or stories or lyrics or any other creatively inclined endeavour. Well, I read somewhere “nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with your inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, street signs, light and shadow…. Select only those which speak to your soul. If you do this, your work will be authentic and authenticity is invaluable.”

Sometimes people get a bit too literal in understanding the above quote and lift off the exact essence of a great idea someone else has created. On one hand, as flattering as it may be for the creator, it is breach of social and moral conduct to rip off an original idea to suit one’s own end. Laws are made in order to safeguard the interest of the creator because; as it appears, in today’s world people are left with no scruples at all. One unabashedly copies what looks luring enough to be able to generate revenue.

Sometimes I wonder why people would not like to churn out from their own creative cauldrons and create an original piece of work. Is it always about money that initiates them to copy? Is there no creative drive in them? Do they have no conscience?

I wonder how people feel at ease knowing that they are pretending to own something that is not theirs.

As sad as it sounds, it is true. In my limited experience as a designer and entrepreneur, I have experienced several such instances where unimaginative human beings have struck on another person’s well thought ideas to achieve monetary gains.

It is one thing to draw inspiration and mould an idea into something unique and original and quite another thing to “photocopy” a concept.

I feel we as educated individuals must make an effort to educate ourselves with regards to copyright, patent and trademark issues. It is imperative for us to know as creators of an idea, we have a right to own its essence. Having said this, legally it is not possible to copyright an “idea” per say but it is definitely possible to copyright the artistic expression of an idea be it in terms of garment design or music or artworks or any other such creative expression.

As soon as an original work is created, the person or company owning it has the rights to decide what happens with it. The copyright symbol is just a way of reminding people about the owner's rights.

Copyrights are legal property rights, called "intellectual property." .

In our fast changing world with ever increasing competition, it is but imperative to be aware of the rights as a creator. Hence copyrighting is important.

Copyrights are many different property rights. These rights can be sold separately by the original artist or company.

The original artist or owner is called the "author". These rights make all creative work valuable beyond just the sale of art work. Since being creative is valuable, the copyright and patent laws are made to encourage more people to be artistic and original.

The writer is a fashion designer and artist