Animal rights campaigners brought chaos to Hong Kong's annual Fashion Week expo with a series of anti-fur protests that upstaged designers and models gathered for the international event.
A catwalk invasion by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) activists on Jan.15 brought one of the event's opening shows to a sudden halt.
Four protesters stepped onto the catwalk and unfurled banners that read "Cecilia and Peter: Fur scum" and "Fur Hurts" while models showed off designs by local creators Cecilia Yau and Peter Lau.
The protesters were dragged off the platform and ejected from the show chanting anti-fur slogans.
A spokesman for expo organizer the Trade Development Council (TDC) said it was obliged to allow fur-based exhibitors into the show as Hong Kong had no ban on the use of pelts.
However, he stressed that the TDC had gone to great lengths to ensure all exhibitors who use fur had sourced their pelts from reputable stockists.
"We checked with the Hong Kong Fur Association that all fur exhibitors were responsible," said Lawrence Yau.
"Our regulations are very strict — if they get the fur from unlicensed sources, or if they lower the image of the industry in any way, then we won't have them here."
PETA was back on the attack on the afternoon of Jan. 16, rallying outside global fashion label Burberry's downtown Hong Kong store in protest of its sale of fur.
There was no comment available from Yau, Lau or Burberry.
PETA has stepped up its campaigns in Hong Kong lately following China's emergence as the world's largest supplier of animal pelts to the garment industry.
It says there is growing evidence of mistreatment of fur farm animals in China, and a video filmed undercover shows dogs and cats being skinned alive at such facilities. (AFP)
1. catwalk n.
伸展台 (shen1 zhan3 tai2)
例: The model stalked down the catwalk.
(模特兒走上伸展台。)
2. unfurl v.t.
展示 (zhan3 shi4)
例: The President unfurled the flag on January first.
(總統於元月一日展示國旗。)
3. pelt n.
毛皮 (mao2 pi2)
例: Mink are often bred for their pelts.
(人們飼養水貂通常為取其毛皮。)
4. reputable adj.
聲譽好的 (sheng1 yu4 hao3 de5)
例: If you're going to hire a lawyer make sure that you use a reputable company.
(如果你想雇用律師，務必找上信譽優良的律師事務所。)
動物權倡議人士在香港年度時裝博覽會製造一片混亂，一系列反對使用皮草的抗議行動比這場國際盛會上的設計師和模特兒更引人注目。
一月十五日，人道對待動物組織數名成員衝上伸展台，一場開幕秀因此被迫停止。
當模特兒展示由香港設計師丘雪祺和劉家衛所設計的服裝時，四名抗議成員跳上伸展台，並且拉開寫著︰「丘雪祺和劉家衛是皮革人渣」和「使用皮草有害動物」的布條。
這群抗議者被拉下臺，趕出會場時，嘴裡還高呼抗議使用皮草的口號。
時裝展承辦單位香港貿易發展局發言人表示，香港並未禁止使用皮草，必須讓使用皮草的品牌參展。
然而他強調，香港貿易發展局已盡力確保所有參展者使用的皮草，均來自信譽優良的供應商。
邱松鶴表示︰「我們已經跟香港毛皮業協會確認過，所有皮草參展商的貨源都是經過核可的。」
他指出︰「我們的規定非常嚴格。他們若向無執照的供應商取得皮料，或以任何方式損害時尚產業的形象，我們就不會讓他們參展。」
一月十六日下午，人道對待動物組織再度於香港市中心發動攻勢，聚集在世界時尚品牌Burberry的門市外抗議銷售皮草。
丘雪祺、劉家衛以及Burberry均不便做出評論。
隨著中國竄升為成衣工業中全球最大動物皮毛供應商，人道對待動物組織也增加了在香港的造勢活動。
人道對待動物組織表示，有愈來愈多證據顯示，動物在中國動物皮毛工廠遭到虐待，從一支秘密拍攝的影片可看到，這些工廠活生生地剝下貓狗的皮。
（法新社╱翻譯︰鄭湘儀）
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