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For years considered a fashion no-no, fur is making a hearty comeback to the runway, turning up in haute-couture designs and on the backs of top-name celebrities, much to the chagrin of animal rights activists.
In Denmark, the world's leading mink producer, furriers say they are expecting the coming year to be a good one for business. "We're optimistic for 2005 ... as long as there's cold weather, because fur is back in fashion again, catapulted by the big designers," said Sander Jacobsen of leading fur dealer Kopenhagen Fur, which produces about half of the world's mink pelts.
Vilified in the late 1980s and early 1990s as environmentalists bemoaned the violence used in the killing of fur-bearing animals, the slinky material has for years been off designers' drawing boards. But now, top couture houses such as Dior, Armani, Yves St Laurent, Gucci, Karl Lagerfeld and Versace have all featured fur in their recent collections, with models strutting the soft stuff on runways in Paris, Milan, New York and Tokyo.
Hollywood starlets like Jennifer Lopez have been seen wearing luxurious pelts, as has supermodel Cindy Crawford, who 10 years ago spearheaded the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)'s anti-fur protest entitled "I'd rather go naked than wear fur". "Fur is fashionable and is being
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The 60th Helsinki International Fashion Fair will be held on February 4-7, 2005 at the Helsinki Fair Centre, a week later.
The Fashion fair for the tenth time will hold Consumer Days on February 4-5 to allow exhibitors to present their latest collections and increase interest among consumers. A lifestyle segment in the event to highlight Finnish and international brands will also be included.
In its eleventh year, The Golden Hanger 2005 award will be presented at the show to a Finnish company or designer that is deemed to have produced a well-designed, high-quality collection that reflects the spirit of the times is exportable and value for money.
Initially, the fair established in 1975 was restricted to Finnish firms but in the 1980s it expanded into the Nordic Fashion Fair. Exhibitors from outside Europe were already attending in 1992 and the fair began operating under its present name the following year.
The fair has been called the Helsinki International Fashion Fair ever since.
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60th Helsinki International Fashion Fair in February 2005 (1819)
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By his provocative bursting into the British House of Commons, the son of the pop-singer Bryan Ferry has upset the clothing firm French Connection. The 22-year old Otis had penetrated Parliament in September wearing a T-shirt which bore the inscription "FCUK YER BAN". With this action, he wanted to highlight his anger over the decision of Parliament to ban the traditional English fox-hunt. That Otis had resorted to using the "FCUK" trademark of the fashion label French Connection, was not bereft of consequences.
After Otis had later displayed his T-shirt outside a London police station, he received a letter from the lawyers of the clothing firm. According to reports in the British Sunday newspaper "The Observer", this contained a clear warning: Otis had, by his actions, inflicted irretrievable damage on the trademark of the fashion label as well as damaging copyright rights. Were he to dare to wear his T-shirt ever again in public, French Connection would be taking measures. "We are very proud of our logo and take these matters very seriously" explained a speaker from the company. Fox-hunt supporter Otis, who has already had to sit on the accused bench because of unruly behavior, is therefore threatening a further trademark dispute.
French Connection has had to concern itself with its brand protection twice in the last mo
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L'espiritu Design, a company specializing in handcrafted jewelry, announces the launch of its online store. Espiritu, a spanish word meaning soul or spirit, embodies the aesthetic philosophy of L'espiritu Design. This small company strives to design products that are soulful, simple, and nature-inspired.
Its first collection features woodburnt pendants that are hand-drawn and engraved in high-quality wood using a process called woodburning. Woodburnt pendants are then lacquered and strung in leather or suede cords, pearls, semi-precious stones, glass beads, and other materials and made into stunning and one-of-a-kind necklaces, lariats, bracelets, and earrings. While woodburning is usually a folkloric and traditional art form, L'espiritu Design strives to add its own modern twist by featuring designs that are fresh, original, and creative. As a result, each piece of jewelry becomes a mini-work of art.
Cristina Espiritu, the founder of L'espiritu Design, loves to pair and juxtapose materials in unexpected ways. "I am not afraid to pair materials which one may not normally see together, such as a rustic wood pendant with classic pearls," says Espiritu. "I think the multi-faceted nature of my designs reflect the women who wear my jewelry- stylish, interesting, and adventurous."
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L'espiritu Design Combines Fashion and Art
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The Art Institute of Charlotte will offer two new degree programs, a bachelor of arts in fashion marketing and management and a bachelor of arts in interior design.
The programs, which each require 12 academic quarters for graduation, add five quarters to the current seven-quarter fashion-marketing and interior-design programs.
The school also offers associate degrees in culinary arts, fashion marketing, graphic design, interactive-media design and interior design, as well as certificate programs.
The board of governors of the University of North Carolina, which licenses The Art Institute of Charlotte, approved the bachelor's program applications.
Applications for the new programs are now being accepted. For information, call (704) 357-8020.
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