The practice of selling “knock-offs” from pieces “inspired by" other designers to actual counterfeits has become widespread in the furniture and interiors industry. Therefore, it is important that the next generation of designers know the importance of creating original design, according to Michael Manes, founder of M2L—a company dedicated to presenting licensed and authorized world class modern design.

Last year, M2L created the Genuine Design Competition in conjunction with New York Eleven, a consortium of New York interior design schools, to heighten students’ awareness of design ethics in the furniture design field.

The competition was based around essays regarding design authenticity. M2L also organized a panel discussion on intellectual property in the design field, which was moderated by The New York Times writer Fred Bernstein and recorded in M2L’s Manhattan showroom. To view the discussion, visit http://www.genuinedesign.com/scholarship.html

The 2010 M2L Genuine Design Competition is now open to design students across the country. Entrants are asked to create a short video (under 4 minutes) similar to a PSA on the topic of genuine design and why furniture designers deserve the right to protect their work against knockoffs.

Entries will be judged by a panel including Interior Design magazine's web editor Laurel Petriello and the Museum of Arts and Design's chief curator David McFadden. M2L will award $8,500 in scholarships to students who make the best use of video to express their understanding of the complex issues involved.