But that's my name! A guide to when to use your own name for your fashion brand

What’s in a name? Well, quite a lot actually. Your name is your identity, so often it seems an obvious choice when it comes to naming your brand, particularly in the fashion and cosmetics industries.  

Using your own name as a fashion designer or fashion retail business can have lots of advantages and can result in very strong brand recognition and brand power. However, it is important to ensure that you think about the future direction of the business and always seek legal advice around:

• whether brand clearance is advisable or necessary, even where you are intending to use your own name; and 
• in relation to any intended sale of the business, or contractual terms around investment. 

It is also important to think about what your name means to you and whether you would ever be comfortable in handing over the rights to it to an acquirer of your business.

Emma Day has written a practical guide to when you should (and should not) use your own name for your fashion brand for CITMA- you can read the full article here.