7TH INTRA DEPARTMENT MEDIATION AND NEGOTIATION COMPETITION, 2024

PROPOSITION FOR PRELIMININARY ROUND 1

“CONFLICT OF DESIGNS”

1. Karl State is the third-largest nation globally, functioning as a global hub, it wields substantial impact
across diverse realms such as culture, technology, media, tourism, art, and education. Bew Tork
stands as the most densely populated city in the Karl State. The city serves as the headquarters for
numerous agencies, contributing to its global connections and economic prowess. The grandiose
city significantly impacts the fashion and entertainment sectors. It is the venue for the renowned
biannual event known as Waldorf Fashion Week, where global fashion collections are displayed for
buyers, the press, and the general public. It showcases the latest designs and collections from both
domestic and international fashion designers. This event attracts designers, fashion enthusiasts,
celebrities, and media from around the world, playing a crucial role in setting trends and shaping the
direction of the fashion industry. Waldorf Fashion Week is a platform where designers can present
their creations to a diverse audience, including buyers, journalists, and the general public, making it
a key moment in the global fashion calendar. This event ranks among the major fashion weeks held
worldwide.

2. Stella Hegde stands out as a notable personality in the fashion industry, well-known for her clothing
line, ‘Stella Hegde Designs.’ Her creations have adorned numerous celebrities, enhancing their red
carpet appearances. Inspired by the doe-eyed gypsy girl character, Tania, from Turkish novelist
Tayne, Stella's fashion seamlessly combines elements of traditional and contemporary styles,
resulting in a collection that exudes a feminine touch. Aisha Chopra, aged 28, is a renowned figure
in the fields of modelling, social media influencing, acting, and YouTubing. With a substantial
following of over 70 million on Pinstagram, a popular social media platform, she showcases her
fashion sense and graces runways for various fashiondesigners.

3. Masson Karl, the creative force behind the Fashion Label ‘Karl Vuitton’, is an indispensable figure
in the fashion realm. His impactful presence on global runways has been consistently vibrant, and
his designs resonate across all age groups, earning admiration from teenagers to adults. The global
renown brand ‘Karl Vuitton’ is attributed to its widespread popularity, drawing a diverse clientele
from around the world. The brand is celebrated for its adaptable designs, aligning with contemporary
fashion trends.

4. On the 20th of August, 2023, representatives from Stella Hegde Designs, the fashion label led by
Stella Hegde, reached out to Aisha. They invited her to be the ‘showstopper’ for their collection at
the Waldorf Fashion Week scheduled for the First week of December 2023 in Bew Tork City. In
agreement, both parties opted for a virtual meeting to deliberate on the terms ofthe contract. On
25th August, 2023 , Aisha was hired as the official show stopper representing Stella Hegde Designs,
on the terms of a valid contract between both the parties, including that they’d pay for her arrival
and stay in Bew Tork. In the early phase of her modelling journey, Aisha Chopra worked as a model
for Masson Karl's ‘Karl Vuitton’ and eventually became the brand ambassador. During this time,
speculations arose about a romantic involvement between Aisha Chopra and Masson Karl. However,
neither party officially acknowledged these rumours, leading to their eventual dissipation.
 7TH INTRA DEPARTMENT MEDIATION AND NEGOTIATION COMPETITION, 2024

5. The Waldorf Fashion Week 2023 was scheduled for the first week of December from 1st December
to 8th December 2023. Aisha arrived for the event on 25th November 2023. She engaged with the
entire Stella Hegde Designs team, rehearsing on the runway alongside Stella Hegde to ensure a
flawless execution and prevent any last-minute issues. Her runway outfit was prepared by 29th
November and was shown to her on 30th November , 2023. While the stylist revealed the
showstopper dress, Aisha remembered encountering a similar garment from a different designer at
another event. Despite her initial confusion, she decided to try on the dress.

6. The runway for Stella Hegde Designs was scheduled for 4th December, 2023 i.e. Monday. The
Waldorf Fashion Week got a great kickstart with a huge number of audience including influencers,
Fashion Designers from across the Globe, Media, renowned celebrities attendingthe show. The
event commenced on 1st December, 2023 i.e. Friday, and eventually the seriesof events took place.
On 4th December, 2023, the Stella Hegde Designs took over the stage and Aisha gave full justice to
her outfit, portraying fierceness and boldness.

7. As the event gained virtual and online crowd as well through press and social media, people got
hooked as if they were a part of the event. Following Stella Hegde Designs' runway show, the event's
fashion moments became viral. Aisha’s showstopper outfit, attracted public attention, leading to
social media users accusing Stella Hegde of replicating established designs from other fashion
designers, notably Aisha's outfit, which some claimed to be a ‘Karl Vuitton Original’, the print and
design of the outfit bearing a lioness, being similar to Masson Karl’s creative design.

8. On December 9, 2023, the day after the event concluded, Masson Karl asserted in an interview that
Stella Hegde's showstopper outfit was his design. He accused Stella of copying his design without
permission, leading to the exploitation of his creation. Masson claimed substantial financial loss, of
67 million, as the investors and sponsors withdrew their investments and Stella was benefiting
and generating revenue from his supposedly original idea. He emphasised having automatic
intellectual property rights (IPR), specifically "copyright," and registered IPR, such as a
"Trademark," citing the registration of all his designs to secure personal and exclusive rights over
them. He stated that Stella did not only steal his design rather also showcased it publicly claiming
his design to be ‘her creation’. Masson Karl further asserted ownership through a "patent" on the
design, incorporating a ‘radio frequency identification tag’ for carrying medical information and
tracking the wearer's location in case of accidents. He pointed out that Stella Hegde had a similar
radio frequency identification tag attached to the backside of Aisha's outfit.

9. In retaliation to Karl’s claims and accusations, Stella Hegde gave a public statement that fashion
designs are ‘subjective’ and everybody has his/her own sense of portraying their thoughts. She stated
that each design was ‘unique in its own way’. She accused Masson Karl of defaming her and passing
false statements about her copying his designs. Stella rejects Masson's allegations of stealing the
outfit's design and claimed that Karl was ‘exaggerating’ the losses that his brand had to face. Now
both the parties decide on finding an amiable solution through negotiations.

Requesting Party: Stella Hegde

Responding Party: Masson Karl