Hleziphi Mudau

Designer Blues

Homeless talk: August 2006
Designer in Piracy stand-off
Stiff contest with ex-trainees
By Hleziphi Mudau

A clothing designer is facing stiff competition from her former trainees and employees, who allegedly copy her designs and reproduce them.
The designer, Brenda Mumba says she has been running her clothing designing business for the past four years in Orange Grove; and in that period employed over 20 women. “They come to me with little or no knowledge of the work. I train them in clothing design, and when they leave they would have learned much about the industry.”
Mumba says that has however created stiff competition for her as she now has to compete with some of her former trainees and employees, who have since started their own businesses. “There are now five clothing design outlets in Louis Botha Avenue alone, and plenty others in the inner city, also owned by people who used to work for me, who produce the same type of clothing that I do,” she says.
She adds that her former employees turned competitors however cannot match her expertise. “To make up for that they send ‘spies’ to my shop, who come and buy my latest creations, then they go on to reproduce them,: she says.
The director of Denys Reitz marketing company, Johan Troskie says creative designers should know the means to protect themselves from unfair competition. “They could use trademarks or patent their products, which would prevent competitors from using their creations without being granted rights to do so,” he explains.
Mumba however says she is aware of the use of trademarks and patents, but may not be able to use them at the moment. “I cannot pay the amount required to register the trademarks or patents. I just have to endure the abuse and exploitation, probably till I raise enough money to protect my designs, “ she adds.
One of Mumba’s former trainees, Lucia Sejale who runs a clothing design project in the Joburg CBD however denies copying her former trainer’s work. “We do what she taught us, and our products may be the same as hers. We don’t need to steal hers.”

posted by Dug @ 11:02 a. m.