Next in Fashion: Who Owns the Designs Made on a Reality TV Show?

When we think of reality TV, we rarely pause to ask: who owns the work that contestants pour their talent into on screen? This question lingered in my mind while watching Next in Fashion, a global fashion design competition that assembles some of the most skilled, story-filled designers in the world. Over a ten-episode arc, they sketch, sew, and present full-fledged looks — all under pressure, and in front of fashion royalty like Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Tan France, and Donatella Versace.

The winner takes home $200,000 and a chance to have their collection bought or rented by major players in the fashion industry.

But from a legal lens, the stitching starts to unravel:

• Who owns the designs once the contestant is eliminated?
• Does the winner retain the rights to their collection after the show ends?
• With designs televised for the world, what stops counterfeiting or copying?
• And what about the creative process itself — can a designer’s method or pace be replicated?

The U.S. Legal Lens: Copyright, Contracts & Quiet Transfers

In the United States, copyright protection attaches the moment an original work is created and fixed in a tangible medium. That means: as soon as a contestant sketches a design or constructs a garment, they are — by default — the legal author and copyright owner.

17 U.S. Code § 201(a): “Copyright in a work... vests initially in the author or authors of the work.”

But in the high-gloss world of reality television, ownership isn’t always this straightforward. Participation in a show like Next in Fashion almost certainly involves signing a contract — and within that contract may lie a clause that changes everything. These agreements typically contain language that either assigns or licenses all intellectual property to the production company.

“Participant agrees that all designs, garments, concepts, and other creative output generated in connection with the Program shall be considered works made for hire and, where not deemed such, are hereby assigned to the Producer.”

In plain terms:

• The contestant may no longer legally own their own design.
• The production company may rent, sell, or commercialize the garments.
• Even if the designer receives credit, they may not be entitled to profits or reuse.

It’s the quiet power of paper — the contract that shifts ownership without a sound. What makes it more complex is that shows like Next in Fashion don’t just film the end product. They record the process — the sketching, stitching, styling, all of it. Even that creative journey is often captured and owned under expansive content rights.

So while the show celebrates creativity, it also becomes a showcase of silent legal transactions — stitched between the seams.

The Indian Lens: What If This Happened in India?

Now imagine the same format — ten designers, ten cameras, one prize — but hosted in India. Would our legal system protect the designers any differently?

Let’s take a look at how ownership works under Indian law.

1. Who is the Author?

According to the Copyright Act, 1957, the author of an “artistic work” — including sketches, fashion illustrations, textile designs, or embroidery layouts — is the person who created it.

Sections 2(c) and 13(1)(a), Copyright Act, 1957: By default, the designer owns the copyright.

2. Work Created Under Employment

Things shift when the work is made under a contract of service (i.e., employment).

Section 17(b), Copyright Act, 1957: “In the case of a work made in the course of the author's employment under a contract of service or apprenticeship, the employer shall be the first owner of the copyright.”

⚖️ So:
If the designer is an employee of the production house, the company owns the rights.
But if the designer is an independent contestant, they retain their rights — unless they assign them away.

3. A Hypothetical Indian Participation Clause

Let’s say the Indian version of the show includes a clause like this:

“The Participant agrees to assign, in perpetuity, all rights in any sketches, garments, and visual content produced during the course of filming, to the Production House, for any commercial, editorial, or promotional use.”

If signed without negotiation, that clause would mean the designer no longer owns their own design — even if it came from their soul, their sketchbook, or their 3 a.m. breakdown.

So What Happens to the Garments?

• If a contestant is eliminated, but their design is reused or displayed later — ownership depends entirely on the contract.
• If a celebrity rents a finalist’s outfit — they’re renting from whoever legally owns it (which could be the designer or the production).
• If the show releases merchandise inspired by contestant work — it’s only lawful if IP rights were contractually transferred.

🧵 Final Threads: Why This Matters

“Just because you created it, doesn’t mean you own it.
But just because they funded it, doesn’t mean they should.”

In today’s fashion ecosystem — especially for rising designers — opportunities often come dressed as contracts. They may open doors, but they can also quietly close off rights.

At Clause & Couture, we believe in empowered creativity — and that begins with legal literacy. So if you’re ever invited to compete, collaborate, or contribute your art to a project, ask the real questions:

• What does this contract say about my rights?
• Who will own this once it’s done?
• Can I use this design again?

Because in the couture of law, ownership is the ultimate silhouette. And every designer deserves to wear it with pride.

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