Clause & Couture — Legal Journal

Copyright Law — Simplified

A clear, concise guide for creators: writers, designers, photographers, and innovators.

1. What Copyright Actually Is

The moment you create — be it a sketch, a song, a photograph, or an entire couture collection — copyright springs into existence. No forms, no rubber stamps, no long lines at government counters. In India, copyright protection is automatic.

What registration does is different: it gives you evidence, not authorship. Think of it as couture — the gown is yours the instant you stitch it, but the receipt in your name helps prove it if someone tries to claim it.

2. What Copyright Protects (and What It Doesn’t)

• Protected: original literary, artistic, musical, dramatic works; films; sound recordings; even computer programs.
• Not Protected: ideas, methods, common phrases, or trends. You can copyright the sketch of your lehenga, but not the idea of “a lehenga with gold embroidery.”

3. Why Registration Still Matters

While ownership exists from creation, registration offers three key advantages:

• It strengthens your case in court.
• It creates a public record of your work.
• It serves as clear, time-stamped proof in disputes.

Without registration, you are still protected — but with it, you are fortified.

4. Myths We Need to Retire

• “I emailed it to myself, so I’m safe.” No. Courts don’t take self-emails as definitive proof.
• “If I post it on Instagram, it’s protected.” Copyright exists from creation, not posting. Instagram simply showcases it.
• “A watermark is enough.” A watermark deters casual copying but does not replace legal rights.

5. Why This Matters for Creators Today

Fashion moves fast, and so does content. In an age where designs are screenshot, shared, and replicated within hours, creators cannot afford uncertainty. Copyright is not a luxury for the privileged few — it is the everyday armour of every designer, photographer, writer, and innovator.

At Clause & Couture, we see copyright as more than law — it is dignity stitched into legislation. It ensures that your art, your voice, and your vision remain yours, even in a world eager to claim it.

If you’re wondering how copyright applies to your work, or whether registration is right for you — this is where law meets couture. Let’s talk.

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