IP Dispute over 19th Century Painting in 21st Century Fashion Design

January 1, 1970

Russia’s specialized Intellectual Property Court (IPC), which just became

operational in July 2013, will be hearing an appeal regarding the

appearance of a famous painting in fashion designs.

Iya Yots, a fashion designer from St. Petersburg, was sued by The State Hermitage Museum over use of an image of Thomas Gainsborough’s painting, “Portrait of a Lady in Blue” in her works.

The IPC may hear cases as both a court of first instance, or as a supreme court of appeals. Yots appeals this case after the Sixteenth Commercial Court of Appeals affirmed an unfavorable decision by the Commercial Court of the Stavropol Territory prohibiting her from using the image without the Museum’s permission.