Hold That Thought

Creators and Copycats: The Business of Fashion in Guatemala

09.28.2017 - By Washington University in St. LouisPlay

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

In an indigenous Maya community in highland Guatemala, sociocultural anthropologist Kedron Thomas noticed a trend. Despite companies' increased efforts to protect their brands against "piracy," knock-off clothing fashion was everywhere. In her book Regulating Style: Intellectual Property Law and the Business of Fashion in Guatemala, Thomas takes a deep dive into this style scene. What do brands mean for the Maya people of Guatemala? What are the goals and effects of intellectual property laws? Who is a fashion creator, and who is a copycat? And who gets to decide?

More episodes from Hold That Thought