The registration of designs and models is aimed at protecting the outward appearance, i.e. the aesthetic features of a product which are novel and which confer on the product an individual character.

Design and model registration can be applied for in a number of ways, ranging from national to European Community or international applications. In some cases, protection for the appearance of a product can be based on copyright. The objection to a design or model registration can also affect the duration of the protection, which in many countries may last up to a maximum of 25 years from the filing date. Aesthetic features of a product which are determined merely by a technical function may not be protected by means of designs or models.

Designs or models represent an important company asset, and Jacobacci has extensive experience in combating counterfeiting throughout the world based on carefully planned registration policies.