The American Flag between Fashion, Heritage, and Law

A central symbol of an American summer is the American flag. With the 4th of July, we find more and more fashion featuring the American flag. But the American flag can also be a part of brands' heritage and identities. Why can artists and fashion designers alike reinterpret the flag and make their own prints or patterns with the flag? Are there any laws that actually circumscribe the use of the American flag? In this episode, we speak to Professor Cathay Smith, a copyright, art law, and cultural heritage law expert at Chicago-Kent College of Law, about these questions and artists' and fashion designers' use of American icons like the flag and even the Statue of Liberty in their creations. As part of our conversation, we discuss how we decide what is original or not when designers use American icons like the flag and explore some imaginary fact patterns involving American brands like Ralph Lauren and a French brand, Dior, that was inspired by both the American and French flags.