LOS ANGELES – The Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Fashion Law Project and the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review will host “The Creative Response to Political Disruption” to delve into the intersection of fashion, pop culture and politics on Friday, April 7, 2017 on Loyola’s downtown L.A. campus.
Inspired by the ways in which art, fashion and entertainment are woven into the fabric of our times, the symposium will explore what happens when a work of art is appropriated for political purposes and an artist’s potential responses. Panels will look at social media, image management, protest and conscious-consumerism as channels for reaction.
“The 2016 presidential election raised important questions about what happens when a political movement appropriates the work of a designer, artist, actor or studio? What are their rights, and how can they capitalize on them?” said Staci Jennifer Riordan ’04, executive director, The Fashion Law Project, and partner, Nixon Peabody. “This symposium will look at how creators can maintain control over and leverage their art in times of political uncertainty.”
The 2016 presidential election saw pocketbook political activism at its peak. The panel “#YourDollarHasPower: How Our Consumer Purchases May Have Inadvertent Social and Political Impact” will look at how market-based movements attempted to shift the political landscape through boycotts and other methods. Confirmed speakers include Shannon Coulter, whose #GrabYourWallet initiative encouraged consumers to avoid Trump-family products.
The panel “Twitter, Terrorism & Trends: Social Media’s Role in Disrupting How We Communicate & Consume” will look at how social media has impacted the ways in which Americans digest messaging when lines when politics blurs into pop culture. Panelists will include Professor Nina Brown, Syracuse University, and Deborah Greaves, partner, Brutzkus Gubner.
The panel “Brand Identity & Image Management: How Brands and Designers Remain in Control and on Trend in Social and Political Activism” will explore what rights a designer or label may exercise when their work is coopted by a political entity with an opposing viewpoint. Panelists will include Karla Welch, top celebrity stylist to clients such as Justin Bieber.
The panel “Capitalizing on Chaos: How to Profit During Uncertain Times in the Global Fashion Trade” will look at the monetization of political uncertainty. Speakers include Erik Smithweiss, partner, Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt LLP; Alex Strum, Cohn Handler Strum; and Ilse Metchek, California Fashion Association.
The symposium will be held in the Girardi Advocacy Center on Loyola’s campus at 919 Albany St., Los Angeles, CA 90015. The presenting sponsor is Nixon Peabody. Co-sponsors include California Apparel News. Program details and registration information are available at lls.edu/fashionlaw.
About The Fashion Law Project
The Fashion Law Project is a comprehensive academic center at Loyola Law School focused on the unique and all-encompassing legal issues affecting the fashion industry in the U.S. and abroad. Its multifaceted design provides programming for several audiences, including law students, design students, legal professionals and fashion industry professionals. Offerings include dedicated fashion law courses and a Sub-Concentration, annual symposia and the Fashion Law Intensive Summer Program, which will run from July 27-30, 2017. Learn more at lls.edu/fashionlaw.
About Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
Located on an award-winning Frank Gehry-designed campus in downtown Los Angeles, Loyola Law School is home to prominent faculty, dedicated students and cutting-edge programs. The Law School strives to instill in students the knowledge they need to excel on their chosen paths. It dedicates itself to preparing students for the rigors of practice with an extensive portfolio of practical-training opportunities, a 17,000-strong alumni network and a focus on social justice. Learn more at www.lls.edu.
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Media contacts:
Journalists who wish to attend any part of the event may RSVP to:
Brian Costello
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
Brian.Costello@lls.edu Tel. 213-736-1444
Melissa Abraham
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
melissa.Abraham@lls.edu Tel. 213-736-1445