Fur Flies Over Fendi's Seoul Fashion Show

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K4E Update: According to Times Live, Seoul has decided to go ahead with the Fendi show. "A Seoul city official said Fendi pledged to "redesign" the line-up to reduce the number of fur items displayed by its models. They promised to make the show more acceptable to the public... and we have our international credibility to consider. So we accepted the offer," said the official, who declined to be named. "The show will go on as planned."

With less than two weeks before 1,200 international celebrities and fashion leaders descend on Seoul for an important fashion show presented by Fendi, city officials have notified the Italian fashion house that the show will be cancelled if the company brings any fur items to the event.

City officials made their decision after a multitude of complaints from animal rights groups called for a ban on fur from the show. “We have received complaints from animal rights activists and saw negative public opinion on the Internet… we can’t let such a controversial thing be staged at a public property,” a spokesman for the city government told AFP.

Fendi is scheduled to have the high-end runway show which will introduce their Fall/Winter collection, on June 2 at the newly-built floating island on the Han River.  The event was set to be similar to one held at the Great Wall of China in 2007, where Fendi attracted 532 million viewers worldwide.

Representatives from Fendi say they are shocked about the demand and the short notice they received.  They planned to present 40 pieces from their collection and 20 of those items are made from fur. “I’m surprised to learn of Seoul city’s decision to possibly cancel the event if Fendi does not remove all fur pieces just two weeks before the event,” Fendi CEO Michael Burke said in a statement.  “I met with Seoul City Government officials last March and at this meeting there was agreed mutual excitement and cooperation for the execution of this premier event.”

Seoul officials explained they did not understand how the fashion industry worked when they agreed to have the event in their city.  They have not cancelled the fashion show yet and hope to work on a compromise with Fendi.

K4E Note:  Animal rights charity CARE (Coexistence of Animal rights on Earth) and other groups will be staging  anti-fur protests in front of the venue should the city relent and allow the show to go ahead with fur items still included.  A demonstration is scheduled for 22 May at 1PM at the entrance to the floating island on the Han river where the fashion show is scheduled to be staged.

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