The 2025 Fashion Law Conference, held in Paris at La Fondation des États-Unis, marked a significant milestone for the French American Bar Association (FABA). Co-organized alongside the Federal Bar Association and several leading French and international legal institutions, the event highlighted the FABA’s essential role in fostering transatlantic legal dialogue, particularly in the field of fashion law and intellectual property.
Strengthening Transatlantic Legal Cooperation
Hosted at the iconic Fondation des Etats-Unis, within the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, the conference brought together lawyers, academics, in-house counsel, and fashion industry professionals. Discussions focused on key issues shaping the industry today, including fast fashion, famous trademarks, counterfeiting, artificial intelligence, and antitrust law.
The FABA’s involvement in organizing this conference is fully aligned with its core mission: building lasting bridges between the French and American legal communities, encouraging professional exchanges, and promoting a comparative approach to legal practice.
A New Chapter for the FABA
This 2025 edition also provided an opportunity to spotlight a renewed momentum within the FABA. Following a period of transition, the association is now entering a new phase, driven by a new leadership team and a clear vision for the future.
During the conference, the FABA was formally presented in this renewed configuration, reaffirming its commitment to:
- expanding its international presence,
- organizing high-level professional events, and
- supporting lawyers, legal professionals, and students engaged in cross-border practice.
In the months ahead, the FABA will announce the reopening of memberships for 2026 and unveil its new website, designed as a central hub for networking, resources, and collaboration within the French-American legal community.
A Spotlight on Fast Fashion
One of the highlights of the conference was the opening panel entitled “Fast Fashion: A Comparative Analysis of the Regulatory Framework.” This session offered a comparative examination of U.S. and EU regulatory approaches to the fast fashion business model.
Panelists addressed the legal challenges associated with fast fashion, including labor and environmental concerns, intellectual property disputes, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in design and production.
The discussion underscored the importance of cross-border perspectives, a defining feature of the FABA’s mission, in understanding and anticipating regulatory change.
Looking Ahead
Subsequent panels explored equally strategic topics, such as the protection of famous trademarks and antitrust issues arising from mergers and market concentration in the fashion industry. Together, these discussions reinforced the growing importance of fashion law as a discipline at the crossroads of law, innovation, and social responsibility.
Through its active role in the organization of this conference, the FABA reaffirms its ambition to remain a key platform for Franco-American legal dialogue, supporting a dynamic and forward-looking professional community.