Madeleine Vionnet
In 1930, Suzanna Laneil was caught with 48 copies of Chanel and Vionnet designs. Vionnet sued her, in a French landmark case. The Court found that the design originals by Vionnet were "real works of art" and that they were "entitled to the same protection accorded authors and copyright holders". That protection has been written into the statute and ratified by European treaties on copyright law. Vionnet began as a style copiest with Kate Reilly, but became a strong supporter of intellectual property protection for designers.