Beijing’s Yashow Clothing Market.
Fakes here today, gone tomorrow, back next week. (Photo by STL)
STL is back in Beijing!
I’ll be moderating a panel on online liability next week as part of the ”IP Protection in the Information Age” conference at Renmin University. It’s sponsored by the University and the Center for the Advanced Study and Research on Intellectual Property.
That’s my excuse for being here. But while traveling, I do like to point out trademark items of note.
Here’s a quick one. A lawyer here took me to the Yashow Clothing Market, a building (pictured above) reputed to be full of counterfeit designer clothes. It’s in Sanlitun, a neighborhood filled with restaurants, bars, and Caucasians.
The problem was, there were’t many fakes to be seen. Sure, there were Starbucks, Manchester United, and Miami Heat t-shirts that probably (certainly) weren’t authentic, but the fake Izods, Gucci, and Burberry shirts I’d been promised were nowhere to be found.
My friend asked one of the salespersons. There was a raid last night, she said. All the fakes are gone.
But don’t worry, the salesperson said. Try back in two weeks and you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Michael Atkins