Can you copyright a Met Gala outfit?

An expert in fashion law has answers for you about haute couture and intellectual property ahead of this year’s Met Gala.

One of the most anticipated fashion events of the year, the Met Gala, takes place the first week in May at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This year’s theme of “Tailored for You,” focused on suiting and menswear, was selected to complement the Costume Institute’s 2025 exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”

Viewers will gather outside midtown hotels or immerse themselves in online live streams to glimpse—and judge—the sartorial choices of celebrities. Almost every year, controversies arise about copycat outfits, unusual design choices, and men in suits not staying on theme—but winners always emerge with show-stopping designs and eye-grabbing gimmicks.

In advance of this year’s event, NYU School of Law professor Douglas Hand, who teaches a course on fashion law, explains how these outfits are legally protected, the most important copyright issues in high-end fashion, and how students can apply what they learn in a fashion law course:

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