Michael Lo Sordo is a fashion designer, not a lawyer. But like many designers, he has unwittingly – and unwillingly – found himself battling with legalese to protect his intellectual property. What he has found is that, in Australia, that can be very difficult to achieve.

Last week, the designer, who showed at this year’s Australian Fashion Week and is known for his ultra-glamorous womenswear, called out fellow Australian brand St Agni for what he believed was a copy of his own design – a bedazzled bikini.