Designer Licensing, Part 1

When Dior isn't really Dior

You’re flipping through a thrift store rack, starting to feel disheartened by the seemingly endless lineup of fast fashion labels. SHEIN, LuLaRoe, Princess Polly, more SHEIN… wait! You spot the familiar name of a big time designer. But then, just below that, you see something confusing: 100% polyester, Made in China. Cheap fabric and less than luxurious stitching seem at odds with names like Oscar de la Renta and YSL, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re looking at a fake. Welcome to the world of designer licensing.

Licensing is when the owner of a trademark or property grants permission of use to another company. Similar to diffusion lines, which I covered here, licensing is a way for high-end fashion houses to expand their customer base and generate profit beyond a limited pool of luxury clients.

Poster for a 1980 Dior lingerie ad