Italian Supreme Court rules concept store interior design protected as architectural work
On April 30, 2020, the Italian Supreme Court (Corte di Cassazione) delivered a verdict in a copyright case involving cosmetics companies Kiko and Wycon (sentence no. 8433). Kiko claimed that Wycon's store layout violated its rights to economic exploitation. The Court affirmed the 2018 ruling of the Milan Court of Appeal (no. 1543/2018), determining that Wycon's design closely mirrored Kiko's distinctive elements, such as the open-space entrance, slanted wall displays, curved island units, television screens, and a color scheme featuring white, black, pink/violet, along with cold lighting. This decision clarified that interior design can be protected as architectural works if they present a coherent and visually recognizable design. The article was authored by Raffaella Pellegrino and appeared in Artribune Magazine #56.
Key facts
- Italian Supreme Court ruling no. 8433, April 30, 2020
- Dispute between Kiko and Wycon over store interior design copyright
- Court of Appeal of Milan decision no. 1543/2018 confirmed
- Protected elements: open-space entrance, backlit graphics, inclined wall displays, curved islands, TV screens, color palette, cold lighting
- Interior design protectable as architectural work if unitary, original, and reflecting author's personal imprint
- Resolves jurisprudential conflict between industrial design and architectural protection
- Broadens definition of architecture to include interior space organization
- Article by Raffaella Pellegrino in Artribune Magazine #56
Entities
Artists
- Raffaella Pellegrino
Institutions
- Corte di Cassazione
- Corte di Appello di Milano
- Kiko
- Wycon
- Artribune Magazine
Locations
- Italy