Design law protects how a product looks rather than how it works. It covers the shape, configuration, pattern, or ornamentation that makes an article visually appealing and is registered under the Designs Act, 2000. It’s often overlooked next to patents and trademarks, but for consumer goods, packaging, and industrial products, a registered design can decide whether you own a market look or just watch someone else copy it.
This section covers registration strategy, the overlap and occasional conflict between design and trademark protection for product shapes, cancellation proceedings, and infringement disputes across sectors from fashion to automotive components. It’s written for designers and businesses who want to know when a design registration is the right tool, and when it isn’t.
