WASHINGTON — The immediate question for the justices at a Supreme Court argument on Monday was whether designs on cheerleaders’ uniforms were subject to copyright protection.

As the argument progressed, though, it became increasingly clear that the case raised broader issues, with vast financial consequences for the fashion industry and deep philosophical implications for how clothing signifies meaning.

“For a hundred and more than that years, the fashion industry has not enjoyed copyright protection,” Justice Stephen G. Breyer said. “On the women’s side, I believe, $225 billion, at least, worth of clothes are sold every year. If suddenly in this case we say that dresses are copyrightable, and they are because every one of them has some design, perhaps we’ll double the price of women’s clothes.”

Addressing a lawyer for the plaintiff, Justice Sonia Sotomayor agreed that a ruling in his favor could transform the industry.