[This is just precious, not only are we still chopping
down the rain forest, but now we're also 100% back to
proudly killing exotic animals for their fur. Looks
like the environmental awareness, & animal rights
awareness, that took place back in the 60's & 70's has
now fallen by the wayside. Doesn't say much for our
species, to say the least! Rick. ]
It's Fur Without Fear on New York Fashion Runways
Mon Feb 7,12:55 PM ET
Reuters
By Ellen Wulfhorst
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fur is back and prominently
displayed by top designers this week on New York's
fashion runways, with nary a peep of protest.
Not so long ago, a woman in fur might fear a hail of
insults and a pail of paint getting lobbed her way,
while the designer would face a pelting of tomatoes.
But clever marketing, hip-hop culture and the
perpetual lure of luxury are bringing fur out of the
closet, experts say.
Sales are up and the average age of buyers is down.
U.S. sales among traditional fur retailers hit a
record $1.8 billion in the 2003 season, a 7.5 percent
increase over the previous year, according to the Fur
Information Council of America. Ten years ago, fur
sales were about $1.1 billion.
More than half the customers are under age 44, the
council said.
Innovations making fur more versatile -- it's often
sheared, dyed or knitted -- have been key, said Keith
Kaplan, the council's executive director.
"Designers have discovered the creativity and
adaptability of fur," he said. "It can be used now as
any other fabric."
A recent survey by Women's Wear Daily showed
three-quarters of 200 high-end specialty stores carry
fur, and most of the remaining stores planned to add
it.
Buying fur like never before are men and younger
consumers, particularly in the hip-hop world, experts
say.
"People are taking 'bling' to the next level," said
fashion analyst Irma Zandl. "It's one thing to throw
red paint on (Vogue editor) Anna Wintour, and quite
another to throw it on P Diddy and J Lo."
PETA CHANGES
Anti-fur activists insist the battle is far from over.
A move by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
to stage its own fashion shows in New York rather than
disrupt others shows how the anti-fur perspective has
been accepted by the mainstream, said spokeswoman Lisa
Franzetta.
Dyeing, shearing and knitting fur are attempts by the
industry to distance itself from its product, she
said.
"A lot of the real fur we're seeing these days is
being styled so that it looks fake," she said. "It's a
very deliberate attempt on behalf of the fur industry
to disassociate the fur from the animal."
More than two years have passed since PETA grabbed
headlines with a protest at a Victoria's Secret show.
This week, it plans a protest at the show of fur
designer J. Mendel.
It also unveiled an ad campaign on Monday with former
basketball star Dennis Rodman, featuring the heavily
tattooed celebrity posing naked, with the slogan
"Think Ink, Not Mink."
Fur's role as a status symbol is hard to shake, and
its absence may have made the heart grow fonder, said
Ben Gomes of fashion and trend information company
OPR.
"Tell me I can't have something, and I want it," he
said.
Observers also say other issues such as war may have
overshadowed concern over animal rights in recent
years.
Marketing fur to women, like the successful "right
hand diamond" campaign, may account for a surge in
popularity as women spend their own money on luxury
items, said Paco Underhill, head of market research
company Envirosell.
"If a guy can spend it on hunting and fishing
equipment, why can't you spend it on fur? Why should
your expenditure be any less politically correct than
his?" Underhill asked.
Designers showing this week who use fur include
fashion fixtures such as Carolina Herrera, Michael
Kors and Oscar de la Renta as well as young designer
Alice Roi, who will be using fur in a collection for
the first time.
Nearly 400 designers worldwide use fur in some form in
their collections, compared with 42 a decade ago, said
Kaplan.
Source >
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=638&ncid=638&e=1&u=/nm/20050207/en_nm/life_fur_dc_2
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search.
http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn.
Bring education to life by funding a specific classroom project.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/4F6XtA/_WnJAA/E2hLAA/08NolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
contact owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Mail list: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Delivered-To: mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED]
List-Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
no flaming arguing or denigration of others allowed
contact owner with complaints regarding posting/list
or anything else. Thank you.
please share/comment/inform and mostly enjoy this list
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quick_vegetarian/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
