Legal Question in Entertainment Law in New York
t shirt question
Hello,
I love making artistic work involving cars. I use cars like Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches...... Most of the t shirts are funny, but some are artistic. Would it be legal for me to sell either of them on clothing, such as a t shirt? What are the guidlines i must follow? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much,
Glen
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: t shirt question
You would need to enter into a licensing agreement with the companies.
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Re: t shirt question
The use of brand names or logos on t-shirts or anywhere else is likely to lead to claims of trademark infringement. The use of automobile shapes is potentially also actionable. Depending on what you mean by "funny," there may be other claims that owners of these marks may bring against you, though there you might have some parody/first amendment defenses. If you plan to distribute your garments commercially contact an IP lawyer to get a consultation on what you can do without getting into serious trouble.
The above reply is in the nature of general information, is not legal advice and should not be relied on as such.