The fashion industry in the United States generates more than $300 billion in revenue each year. In addition to its substantial contributions to the U.S. economy, fashion is considered a form of art.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City holds numerous exhibits showcasing fashion designs. Among the most notable are ones honoring Coco Chanel, whose iconic designs revolutionized the way women wear clothes, including accelerating the popularity of trousers during the 1920s; Alexander McQueen, whose designs are credited with bringing a sense of fantasy and rebellion to fashion; and Charles James, who used sculptural, scientific and mathematical approaches to construct iconic ball gowns, and whose innovative tailoring continues to influence designers today.

Despite the economic and artistic contributions of fashion, very limited legal protections for fashion design are currently available in the United States. Although the fashion industry is fast-paced, due to modern technology, images of the latest designs are quickly disseminated online and into the hands of copycats, who immediately begin producing knockoffs and counterfeits. This makes it increasingly challenging for designers to achieve a sustainable financial return on their creative investments.