Hot fuzz

céline SS2013 via style.com

During the 2012 London Olympics Nike managed to ambush adidas, the event’s official sports apparel marketing partner, with an 18-strong collection of neon yellow trainers that looked to be on every second athlete in the track and field events. With shoes classified as equipment, athletes were free to choose their brand. The Spring/Summer 2013 show season is of course a totally different animal to the Summer Olympics. And yet, based on some early reactions, it seems that another neon yellow shoe may be hijacking more than its fair share of coverage here: Céline’s mink pump.

Men in furs II

arena homme +/morphoman via TFS

Another day, another Andrej Pejic editorial. This time it’s not Vogue but well, Arena Homme + does call itself “the bible of contemporary mens culture….so many men turn to it as an essential read, as well as a reliable seasonal source of wardrobe advice”. The Winter 2010/Spring 2011 edition has just launched and according to this editorial lensed by Willy Vanderperre, men will be rocking Gucci fur coats and lippie during the northern winter (head to Morphoman to see the complete set of images). After Vogue Italia’s louche new 'Venus in Furs' editorial, which also co-stars Pejic, could the animal rights lobby be losing its grip on the anti-fur PR front?

Natalie Imbruglia helps PETA push for a fur-free world

"This Is Fur" Narrated by Natalie Imbruglia 



Here is the new anti-fur video from animal rights group PETA, entirely narrated by Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia - who is currently doing maternity cover for compatriot Dannii Minogue on the British series of The X Factor. It's a gut-wrenching video, so be warned. In it, PETA's undercover operatives have filmed in various fur farms and processing facilities, although no location is clearly identified - beyond the references to the Chinese fur industry, which is known for its brutality. China's human rights record is of course not particularly impressive, but that's of little concern to PETA. A number of fur organisations, such as the US Fur Commission, would no doubt take umbrage at the continued claims that strict regulations do not apply to this industry in other countries and that farmed fur animals are not afforded good nutrition, comfortable housing and prompt veterinary care. But then PETA never seems to film inside those facilities. As Paul McCartney once noted, if abbatoirs had glass walls we'd all be vegetarians. Until that day presumably, the greater percentage of the world's population will continue to eat meat. 

The fur is flying in Melbourne, but where the hell is PETA?

Within one hour of touching down in Melbourne for this week's Marc Jacobs on Film festival, fashblogger Bryanboy told me he was approached by two animal rights protestors on Bourke Street over a fox fur collar he was sporting. One of two fur collars he brought to Melbourne. In the interim, the animal rights lobby has been asleep at the vegan leather-covered wheel. In spite of having been targeted by PETA last year back in his home town of Manila, a recent blog blowup about the origin of these particular furs - China - and furthermore, having repeatedly advertised his Melbourne location, not a peep out of PETA. And that's not for a lack of opportunities.

On Tuesday, frockwriter was down in Melbourne to moderate another FGI Fashion Flash industry seminar, this time at the Fashion Exposed trade show.

Spent the rest of the afternoon out and about town with Bryanboy and a blog posse that included Matt 'Imelda' Jordan, Helen 'Sassybella' Lee, Hayley Hughes and celebrity stylist Philip Boon.

Bryanboy was wearing the silver fox and frockwriter couldn't resist doing a little impromptu styling:




In case there is any doubt that that is, or at least was, a fox, here's a closeup of its face:



I did not manage to get a shot, but FYI the mouth opens and closes.

After we both tweeted the shots, I was a little concerned that Bryanboy might be on the receiving end of a bucket of red paint. And that I might inadvertently cop a little PETA "fur scum" rage by way of proximity:


imelda

But nada.

And as if Bryanboy needed any encouragement on the fur front, moreover, Boon appears to be even more of a fur-ophile.

Here's a shot from Boon's iPhone that was recently taken during a trip to the Victorian Alps:



This afternoon, Boon took Bryanboy on a Melbourne shopping tour, which swung by numerous shops selling vintage fur.



bryanboy

And apparently Bryanboy did not walk away empty-handed. Here he is back at the hotel:


bryanboy

Shots and shop locations were tweeted by both Bryanboy and Boon all afternoon.

But still, no reaction.

So there you have it.

In spite of recent protests outside the boutique of Melbourne designer Alannah Hill (and an email death threat which PETA denied had anything to do with them), PETA has lost the battle against fur in Melbourne - where a fur coat would no doubt come in very handy during the chilly southern winter.

Too busy busy pumping energy into the mulesing saga downunder?