Yes. A clothing-line name or fashion collection name can qualify for trademark protection when consumers perceive the name as identifying the commercial source of the clothing rather than merely describing a season, style, theme, or temporary collection.
A fashion company may operate several levels of branding at the same time. The company may have a primary house mark, a recurring clothing-line name, individual product names, logos, monograms, and seasonal collection titles. Each can perform a different commercial function, and registration of one does not automatically register the others.
For example, imagine a fashion company called VELORA that sells a recurring clothing line called NIGHTFORM. Within NIGHTFORM, the company releases seasonal collections such as “Spring 2027 Coastal Collection.”
VELORA may function as the house trademark.
NIGHTFORM may function as a separate product-line trademark.
“Spring 2027 Coastal Collection” may simply identify a temporary seasonal assortment rather than function as a separate source identifier.
The legal question is not whether the company calls something a “collection.” The question is whether consumers understand the name as a trademark identifying the source of the clothing.
Key Takeaways
A recurring clothing-line or collection name can be federally registered when it functions as a trademark for the goods.
Distinctive line names are generally easier to protect than wording that directly describes the style, material, season, audience, or characteristics of the clothing. The USPTO identifies fanciful, arbitrary, and suggestive marks as stronger trademark categories, while descriptive and generic wording receives weaker or no protection depending on the circumstances.
A fashion house mark and a clothing-line mark are separate assets. Registering the company name does not automatically register every recurring collection launched under it.
Clearance should occur before the company places the collection name on labels, packaging, wholesale materials, advertising, and large quantities of inventory. The USPTO recommends searching both federal records and relevant common-law marketplace uses before filing.
For most ordinary clothing lines, International Class 25 will be central. Under the Nice Classification in effect since January 1, 2026, Class 25 covers clothing, footwear, and headwear for human beings.
What Is a Clothing-Line Trademark?
A clothing-line trademark is a source identifier used across a recurring family of apparel products.
Suppose VELORA sells several garments under the recurring name NIGHTFORM.
One season might include:
NIGHTFORM jackets.
NIGHTFORM trousers.
NIGHTFORM shirts.
NIGHTFORM dresses.
The individual garments change, but NIGHTFORM remains.
If customers understand NIGHTFORM as identifying a particular branded line from VELORA rather than merely describing the clothing, the name can develop independent trademark significance.
This is commercially valuable because goodwill does not have to begin again with each garment.
A customer familiar with one NIGHTFORM product may recognize a later release as part of the same fashion line.
What Is the Difference Between a Fashion House Mark and a Collection Mark?
The house mark identifies the broader business or fashion brand.
The collection or product-line mark identifies a particular family of products within that brand.
For example:
VELORA
House mark
NIGHTFORM
Recurring clothing-line mark
NIGHTFORM No. 04 Wool Coat
Individual style or product identification
One company can own all of these identifiers, but they do not automatically receive the same trademark protection.
A registration for VELORA does not create a separate federal registration for NIGHTFORM.
If NIGHTFORM becomes commercially important, it should be evaluated as its own trademark asset.
Is Every Fashion Collection Name a Trademark?
No.
Fashion companies frequently name collections for marketing and editorial purposes.
Examples might include:
Summer Essentials.
Holiday Collection.
Resort 2027.
The Linen Edit.
Winter Essentials.
Paris Capsule.
Those names can communicate season, material, style, theme, or commercial positioning without necessarily telling consumers who produced the clothing.
Trademark protection depends on source identification.
A collection title used only for one temporary assortment may have much less independent trademark significance than a distinctive name used repeatedly across products and seasons.
Can a Seasonal Collection Name Be Trademarked?
Potentially, but not every seasonal title deserves trademark treatment.
Suppose a designer launches MIDNIGHT BLOOM for a one-season capsule.
If MIDNIGHT BLOOM appears primarily in editorial marketing to describe that temporary collection, the company should evaluate whether consumers are actually likely to perceive it as a trademark.
If the company later releases MIDNIGHT BLOOM products repeatedly, places the mark on garment labels and hangtags, promotes it as a continuing sub-brand, and builds recognition around the name, its trademark significance may become stronger.
The commercial role of the wording matters more than the company’s internal label of “collection.”
Does a Collection Need More Than One Garment to Be a Trademark?
There is no special trademark rule requiring a fashion collection to contain a particular number of products before a designation can function as a trademark.
The central question remains whether the wording identifies source for the goods.
However, repeated and consistent use across a genuine product line can make it easier for consumers to understand the designation as an umbrella brand rather than as the name of one temporary item.
That distinction is particularly important when the company intends the line name to carry goodwill from one release to another.
What Makes a Clothing-Line Name Stronger?
Distinctiveness is important.
The USPTO places marks on a spectrum from highly distinctive fanciful and arbitrary marks through suggestive marks, descriptive wording, and finally generic terminology.
A coined collection name such as NIGHTFORM may have stronger trademark potential than wording such as:
PREMIUM LINEN COLLECTION
ESSENTIAL T-SHIRT LINE
LUXURY CASHMERE SERIES
SUMMER DRESSES
Those phrases communicate characteristics of the products directly.
A fashion company can still use descriptive wording in marketing.
For example:
NIGHTFORM
Premium Evening Collection
NIGHTFORM can function as the trademark while “Premium Evening Collection” explains the nature of the line.
Should a Fashion Company Avoid Common Collection Words?
It should evaluate how much trademark significance the distinctive portion actually carries.
Words such as COLLECTION, LINE, SERIES, EDIT, CAPSULE, ESSENTIALS, STUDIO, ATELIER, CLASSICS, and RESORT appear frequently in fashion branding.
Adding one of those terms to another company’s established trademark does not automatically create a legally distinct mark.
For example, if NIGHTFORM is already protected for related clothing, NIGHTFORM COLLECTION may still create serious concerns.
Clearance should therefore focus on the distinctive and dominant portions of the proposed name, not merely the full phrase.
When Should a Clothing Collection Name Be Searched?
Before the business becomes commercially dependent on it.
A clothing-line name can appear across hundreds or thousands of physical items.
Once production begins, it may be sewn into labels, printed on hangtags, placed on packaging, included in lookbooks, supplied to wholesale customers, indexed by online retailers, and promoted through social media.
Changing that name after launch can therefore be expensive.
The USPTO strongly recommends conducting a comprehensive clearance search before filing and specifically advises reviewing federal registrations and pending applications as well as common-law uses.
Is an Exact-Match Trademark Search Enough?
No.
The USPTO’s search framework is concerned with confusingly similar trademarks, not only identical ones.
A proposed collection called NIGHTFORM should therefore not be cleared merely because the search reveals no exact NIGHTFORM registration.
The company may need to evaluate similar wording, spellings, pronunciations, translations, and marks creating similar overall commercial impressions.
Fashion consumers encounter brands visually and orally, so small spelling changes do not necessarily eliminate conflict risk.
Should the Company Search Other Fashion Categories?
Yes.
A clothing-line search should not necessarily stop at identical garments.
Fashion brands commonly expand from clothing into footwear, bags, jewelry, eyewear, fragrance, and related consumer products.
The USPTO recommends searching similar marks used with the same or related goods and services.
A collection intended to become a broader lifestyle brand should therefore be cleared with realistic expansion in mind.
Search scope and application scope do not have to be identical.
The company can investigate future categories without immediately filing applications for every conceivable extension.
Should Common-Law Fashion Brands Be Searched?
Yes.
A clothing designer can develop trademark rights through marketplace use even without a federal registration.
That makes fashion especially important for common-law research because many independent brands begin through boutiques, Instagram, direct-to-consumer stores, marketplaces, pop-ups, and local retailers.
The USPTO expressly recommends internet and other common-law searching in addition to its federal database.
The absence of a matching federal record does not necessarily mean the collection name is available.
What Trademark Class Covers a Clothing Line?
Most ordinary clothing lines fall within International Class 25.
Under NCL 13-2026, effective January 1, 2026, Class 25 covers clothing, footwear, and headwear, primarily for human beings.
A recurring Class 25 line might include several types of clothing under one trademark.
For example, NIGHTFORM could potentially identify shirts, pants, dresses, jackets, and other apparel, assuming the identification accurately reflects the company’s actual use or bona fide plans.
Does Every Garment in the Collection Require Another Trademark Class?
No.
USPTO application fees are based primarily on the number of international classes, not the number of individual products properly identified within the same class.
The USPTO specifically uses the example of golf shirts, dress shirts, and T-shirts all belonging to one clothing class and therefore producing one base class filing fee rather than three.
A collection containing several legitimate Class 25 garments may therefore remain within one class.
The company should still accurately identify the goods.
Can a Clothing-Line Trademark Expand Into Bags or Jewelry?
Yes, but those products can involve additional classes.
A successful fashion collection may eventually move beyond apparel.
The same collection mark might later appear on bags, jewelry, eyewear, fragrance, or other products.
Those expansions should be evaluated separately.
The existing Class 25 registration does not automatically become direct federal registration coverage for goods outside the scope of the registration.
The fashion company should periodically compare its trademark portfolio with the products the collection actually sells.
Should a Collection Application Claim Every Possible Clothing Product?
No.
The USPTO requires applicants filing on a use basis to actually use the mark with all claimed goods.
For an intent-to-use basis, the applicant must possess a bona fide intention to use the mark with all the goods claimed.
Suppose NIGHTFORM currently identifies jackets and trousers and the company has no real plan to sell swimwear, footwear, uniforms, or every other product classified in Class 25.
The company should not claim unrelated products merely because they share the same class.
Classification is not permission to claim an entire industry.
Can a Designer File a Collection Trademark Before Launch?
Yes, potentially.
Section 1(b) allows an applicant with a bona fide intention to use a trademark in commerce to file before qualifying marketplace use begins.
The USPTO states that an intent-to-use application can provide an earlier application filing date, but actual use must later be established before registration.
This can be particularly useful for fashion collections because collection names often become public before products reach customers.
A designer may reveal the name during Fashion Week.
Wholesale buyers may receive line sheets.
Samples may be sent to editors.
Manufacturers may receive branded labels.
Marketing campaigns may begin before retail availability.
Early filing can align the trademark process with that development schedule.
What Evidence Can Support Bona Fide Intent for a Clothing Line?
Real development records can be important if the applicant’s intent is later challenged.
The USPTO recommends documenting efforts such as product development, market research, distributor activity, and other commercial preparations.
For a clothing collection, relevant records might include design sketches, technical packs, garment samples, sourcing communications, manufacturer discussions, label designs, wholesale presentations, retailer negotiations, production calendars, lookbooks, and marketing plans.
The company should preserve ordinary business documentation rather than attempt to manufacture evidence after a dispute begins.
Who Should Own the Clothing-Line Trademark?
The proper trademark owner should file the application.
Current USPTO guidance requires the application to be filed by the party that owns the mark, or in an intent-to-use application, the party possessing the bona fide intention to use the mark as of the filing date. A genuine wrong-party filing can be void.
This can matter when a designer personally owns the house brand while an LLC operates the clothing line.
It can also matter where one company owns the intellectual property and another manufactures or distributes the clothing under license.
Ownership should be mapped before filing.
Should the Collection Name Be Registered as a Word Mark or Logo?
The company should evaluate both, but the wording itself often deserves strong consideration.
USPTO guidance states that a standard-character registration generally provides the broadest protection because the owner is not limited to one particular font, size, color, or stylization.
This can be particularly useful for fashion collections because visual identities change frequently.
NIGHTFORM might use one logo in 2026 and an entirely different typography system three years later while retaining the same name.
A standard-character registration focuses on the wording itself.
Can the Collection Logo Be Protected Separately?
Yes.
A stylized collection logo or monogram can be a separate trademark asset.
The USPTO limits each application to one trademark variation. A standard-character NIGHTFORM application and a stylized NIGHTFORM logo therefore represent separate filing decisions.
If the collection develops a distinctive symbol or monogram that consumers recognize independently, that asset can also warrant separate protection.
How Should a Collection Name Appear on Clothing?
The collection name should appear in a way consumers are likely to recognize as branding.
Fashion creates an important complication because words and designs on clothing often function as decoration.
A very large NIGHTFORM design across the front of a shirt might appear ornamental.
NIGHTFORM on a sewn-in label, hangtag, or other conventional source-identifying location may more clearly function as a trademark.
The USPTO looks at factors including the size, location, dominance, and significance of the proposed mark on the goods.
Can a Collection Name Printed Across a Shirt Be Trademark Use?
Sometimes.
The USPTO specifically explains that not everything appearing on the front of clothing is automatically ornamental.
Small, neat, discrete wording or a design used where consumers commonly expect branding may function as a trademark.
A large display dominating the garment is more likely to be perceived as decoration.
Consumer perception remains central.
A fashion company should therefore distinguish the decorative use of a collection name from its source-identifying presentation.
What Is a Good Specimen for a Clothing-Line Trademark?
For goods, the USPTO accepts real marketplace evidence that directly associates the trademark with the products.
Examples include labels, tags, packaging, product containers, and qualifying ecommerce webpages where customers can purchase or order the goods.
For a clothing line, a sewn-in garment label or hangtag displaying the collection name can provide particularly clear evidence.
A qualifying ecommerce product page can also potentially work when the mark and goods are properly associated and the product can be ordered.
Should Every Garment Carry the Collection Trademark?
If the company expects the collection name to develop independent recognition, consistent presentation across the line can be commercially important.
Suppose NIGHTFORM appears prominently on one jacket but disappears completely from the remaining twenty garments.
Consumers may continue viewing VELORA as the only meaningful source identifier.
By contrast, repeated use of NIGHTFORM across labels, hangtags, ecommerce categories, lookbooks, and related commercial materials can reinforce its role as the umbrella brand connecting the clothing line.
Consistency supports the commercial purpose of having a line mark in the first place.
Does the House Mark Need to Appear With the Collection Mark?
Not necessarily every time, but the company should establish a coherent brand hierarchy.
For example:
VELORA
NIGHTFORM
Wool Tailored Coat
This structure communicates that VELORA is the fashion house, NIGHTFORM is the product line, and the remaining wording describes the garment.
As the collection becomes more recognizable, NIGHTFORM may also appear independently.
The appropriate architecture depends on how the company wants consumers to understand the relationship between the marks.
Can a Clothing Line Become Stronger Than the Fashion House Name?
Commercially, yes.
Some product-line or sub-brand names develop significant consumer recognition independently of the parent company.
A collection may generate most of the company’s revenue.
Customers may search for the line name directly.
Retailers may organize products around it.
Collaborations may feature it prominently.
When that happens, the collection mark can deserve the same trademark attention as the house mark or even become the company’s more valuable consumer-facing asset.
Should Fashion Companies Trademark Every Capsule Collection?
Usually not.
Fashion businesses can produce many limited collections each year.
A one-time holiday capsule, color story, celebrity collaboration, or runway theme may never become a recurring source identifier.
Federal applications involve filing fees, prosecution, monitoring, and long-term maintenance.
The company should prioritize names expected to generate continuing goodwill rather than treating every marketing title as a permanent trademark.
Can a Capsule Collection Become a Trademark Later?
Yes.
A temporary capsule can become unexpectedly successful.
Suppose VELORA launches NIGHTFORM as a small experimental capsule.
Customer demand is strong, so the company brings it back the following season and eventually develops a permanent NIGHTFORM division.
At that point, the commercial role of the name has changed.
The company should periodically reassess which temporary names have evolved into genuine recurring brands.
Can a Collaboration Collection Create a New Trademark?
Potentially.
A collaboration may produce branding that develops independent consumer recognition.
Suppose VELORA and another designer release:
VELORA X NORTH HOUSE
If the collaboration will continue, the parties should determine who owns the collaboration mark, whether either party can use it independently, who may file trademark applications, and what happens when the collaboration ends.
Temporary partnership branding can become valuable intellectual property unexpectedly.
Ownership should not be left to implication.
Who Owns a Collection Name Created by a Retailer?
Retailer-exclusive fashion collections can create similar issues.
A department store may ask a designer to create an exclusive label.
The retailer may contribute the collection name.
The designer may create the garments.
The agreement should make clear who owns the resulting trademark.
Exclusive distribution does not automatically answer trademark ownership.
This becomes particularly important if the designer plans to continue the collection after the retailer-exclusive period ends.
How Does Licensing Affect Clothing-Line Trademarks?
A fashion company may allow another business to manufacture or distribute products under the collection mark.
Trademark licensing should preserve the trademark owner’s control over the nature and quality of the licensed goods.
The owner should also provide clear brand guidelines covering spelling, logos, placement, packaging, labels, and approved product categories.
Licensed expansion should reinforce the collection’s identity rather than create inconsistent versions of the mark.
Should Foreign Distributors Own Local Versions of Collection Names?
Not automatically.
A clothing collection may use a translated or transliterated name in another country.
That localized version can eventually acquire substantial consumer recognition.
Distribution and licensing agreements should determine who owns the local mark, who can file trademark applications, and who controls associated domains and social accounts.
The company’s foreign trademark strategy should follow the intended ownership structure rather than allowing rights to migrate accidentally to a distributor.
Should a Clothing Collection Be Protected Internationally?
Potentially, especially if the line will be sold internationally.
U.S. trademark rights are territorial.
A U.S. registration does not automatically create equivalent protection in Europe, Asia, Latin America, or other markets.
Fashion collections can enter foreign markets rapidly through ecommerce, wholesalers, boutiques, marketplaces, and collaborations.
Important markets should therefore be evaluated before international goodwill becomes difficult to reorganize.
Should Collection Names Be Monitored After Registration?
For commercially important lines, yes.
A competitor may adopt a similar line name while using a completely different house mark.
If consumers strongly recognize the collection name, the different corporate brands may not eliminate potential confusion.
Monitoring important product-line trademarks independently from the fashion house mark can therefore help the company identify relevant later uses.
What Evidence Should a Fashion Company Preserve?
Historical materials can become valuable as collections evolve.
Fashion businesses should preserve evidence such as garment labels, hangtags, packaging, ecommerce pages, lookbooks, catalogs, retailer listings, invoices, advertisements, collaboration materials, and dated product photographs.
The company should also retain records showing when the collection first launched and how the line evolved.
Products disappear quickly from fashion websites.
A discontinued garment page that seems unimportant today may become useful evidence years later.
Should Discontinued Collection Names Remain Registered?
That depends on continued trademark use and business strategy.
Fashion companies should periodically review their portfolios.
Some collections become permanent franchises.
Others end after one or two seasons.
A registration should not be maintained automatically simply because the name was once commercially important.
Portfolio review can identify marks that deserve additional protection and others whose commercial role has ended.
Scenario: A Seasonal Collection Becomes a Permanent Line
Suppose VELORA launches NIGHTFORM as a six-piece seasonal capsule.
The company initially treats it as a marketing concept.
Demand grows, and NIGHTFORM returns for five consecutive seasons with its own labels, ecommerce category, advertising, and product range.
The company should reassess NIGHTFORM as an independent trademark asset.
What began as a collection title may now function as a recurring product-line brand.
Scenario: The Collection Name Is Descriptive
Suppose a company wants to call its new cashmere range PREMIUM CASHMERE COLLECTION.
That phrase directly describes characteristics and the nature of the products.
A more distinctive structure might be:
ARVENA
Premium Cashmere Collection
ARVENA can serve as the source-identifying trademark while the descriptive wording communicates what the collection contains.
The USPTO generally treats suggestive, arbitrary, and fanciful marks as stronger than descriptive terminology.
Scenario: The Collection Has Not Launched Yet
Suppose a designer has selected NIGHTFORM and begun developing garments, labels, lookbooks, and wholesale materials but has not made qualifying use in commerce.
If the proper applicant has a bona fide intention to use NIGHTFORM with the identified goods, a Section 1(b) intent-to-use application may allow the company to begin the federal process before commercial launch.
The company should preserve genuine development records supporting its plans.
Scenario: The Collection Name Appears Only as a Large Shirt Graphic
Suppose NIGHTFORM appears only in oversized lettering across the front of one T-shirt.
The USPTO could question whether consumers perceive that use as a trademark or simply as garment decoration.
Source-identifying use on labels, hangtags, packaging, or appropriate retail presentation may provide clearer trademark evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clothing-Line Trademarks
Can you trademark a clothing-line name?
Yes. A distinctive clothing-line name can qualify for federal trademark registration when it functions as a source identifier for the apparel.
Can you trademark a fashion collection name?
Potentially. The name should function as branding rather than merely describe a temporary season, theme, style, or group of products.
Is a fashion collection name automatically a trademark?
No. Calling something a collection does not itself create trademark significance.
Does the collection need multiple products?
There is no special numerical requirement. The central question is whether the designation identifies source, although consistent use across several products can reinforce its product-line function.
What trademark class covers clothing collections?
Most ordinary clothing, footwear, and headwear for humans fall within International Class 25.
Can several garments be included in the same Class 25 application?
Yes, when those goods properly fall in Class 25 and the applicant satisfies the applicable use or bona fide-intent requirements. USPTO fees are assessed by class rather than separately for each garment.
Can you file a collection trademark before launch?
Potentially. A Section 1(b) application is available when the applicant has a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce.
Can a sewn-in label prove trademark use?
Yes. Labels and tags attached to goods are recognized forms of specimen evidence when they show genuine trademark use in commerce.
Can a collection name printed across a T-shirt function as a trademark?
Sometimes, but a prominent decorative display may be considered ornamental. Size, placement, dominance, and consumer perception matter.
Should the collection name and fashion house name be registered separately?
Potentially. They are separate trademark assets when each independently identifies source.
Should every seasonal collection be registered?
Usually not. Registration priorities should focus on recurring names expected to accumulate meaningful goodwill rather than every temporary campaign title.
How much does a Class 25 trademark application cost?
The current USPTO base application filing fee is $350 per class for qualifying Section 1 and Section 44 applications. Additional fees can apply depending on the application.
Building a Clothing-Line Trademark That Can Outlast the Collection
Fashion collections are naturally temporary.
Trademark assets do not have to be.
One collection may exist for three months. Another may develop into a permanent product line that consumers recognize for years.
The difference is not the terminology used in the company’s marketing plan.
It is the commercial role the name develops.
A strong recurring line mark identifies source. It allows new garments to benefit from goodwill already associated with earlier releases.
That means the strategy should begin with distinctiveness.
The USPTO recognizes fanciful, arbitrary, and suggestive marks as stronger trademark categories than descriptive or generic wording.
The company should then conduct clearance before the collection name becomes embedded in labels, inventory, retailer systems, and marketing. Both federal and common-law uses can matter.
For ordinary apparel, Class 25 will usually be central under the 2026 Nice Classification. The application should describe the clothing the business genuinely sells or plans to sell rather than claim an entire class simply because multiple goods share one filing fee.
Marketplace presentation also matters.
If the collection name is intended to function as a trademark, customers should encounter it as branding rather than only as temporary advertising copy or garment decoration. Genuine labels, tags, packaging, and point-of-sale evidence can help establish that role.
Finally, the portfolio should evolve with the fashion business.
Some collection names will disappear.
Others will become permanent product lines.
A few may ultimately become more recognizable than the original house brand.
The trademark strategy should identify those changes early enough that the legal portfolio continues to reflect what consumers actually recognize.
Primary Sources and Authorities
USPTO, Strong Trademarks. Explains the distinction among fanciful, arbitrary, suggestive, descriptive, and generic terminology and why distinctive marks generally receive stronger trademark protection.
USPTO TMEP §1209.01, Distinctiveness and Descriptiveness Continuum. Provides the current examination framework for evaluating trademark strength in relation to the identified goods or services.
USPTO, Comprehensive Clearance Search for Similar Trademarks. Recommends searching federal registrations and pending applications together with common-law marketplace uses before filing.
USPTO, Nice Classification, Thirteenth Edition, Version 2026. Confirms that NCL 13-2026 took effect January 1, 2026 and identifies Class 25 as covering clothing, footwear, and headwear.
USPTO, Goods and Services. Explains that use-based applicants must actually use the mark with the listed goods and that intent-to-use applicants must possess a bona fide intention covering the identified goods or services.
USPTO, Intent-to-Use Applications. Explains Section 1(b), the earlier application filing date available through ITU filing, bona fide intent, and documentation of genuine business preparations.
USPTO, Specimens. Explains acceptable real-life evidence for goods, including labels, tags, packaging, and qualifying point-of-sale webpages.
USPTO, Ornamental Refusal. Explains when wording or designs appearing on clothing may be perceived merely as decoration rather than as source-identifying trademark use.
USPTO, Drawings and Specimens. Explains that standard-character registration generally provides the broadest protection for wording and that one trademark variation is permitted per application.
USPTO TMEP §1201.02. Requires the proper owner or bona fide-intent applicant to file the application as of the filing date and explains the consequences of identifying the wrong applicant.
Author
Abraham Cohn, Managing Partner, Cohn Legal, PLLC
Abraham Cohn is a U.S. trademark attorney whose practice focuses on trademark clearance, registration, brand protection, licensing, and related intellectual property matters.