Anti-fur protesters storm Fendi fashion show in Seoul

 Dozens of animal rights activists gathered in front of a newly built floating island on the Han River in Seoul, the venue of Italian fashion house Fendi's fall- winter fashion launch event on June 2.

The fashion show, one of debut events of Seoul's ambitious Floating Island, had been at the center of a controversy involving threats of protest and criticism from the country's animal rights activist groups.

They were furious that fur items were included in the event as the city of Seoul had allowed the fashion house to stage the show without removing fur from the catwalk, backing down from its initial decision to cancel the show.

The activists, with some of them wearing masks covered in fake blood, chanted anti-fur slogans and carried banners with "Fendi" written on them. They also splattered stuffed animals with red paint and tore them apart in an apparent attempt to express the suffering of animals.

Another activist with paint-soaked fur tied around her waist continued walking on a banner reading "Fendi."

"We hope that Fendi stops doing its business with the outcomes of animal abuse cases, in which more than 100 million animals get sacrificed every year after being skinned alive. We sincerely hope that it turns to other businesses for ethical consumption,"said Park So-yeon, representative of the advocacy group Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth. Despite the protests outside the venue, Fendi successfully staged the launch of its fall and winter fashion line.

The show was interrupted abruptly at the beginning as one animal rights activist, who somehow managed to sneak into the high- security venue, disrupted it by shouting "No fur. Fur is ugly," She was soon removed by security officers.

Other than that, the event proceeded smoothly. Models showing Fendi's new collection, including the Italian fashion house's signature fur items, walked down the catwalk as hundreds of celebrities, guests and journalists watched what was only Fendi's second-ever show in Asia since one on China's Great Wall in 2007.

The show was able to take place after Seoul and Fendi had reached a deal that the fashion house would broaden the number of items that were introduced, adding bags, shoes and other accessories, to dilute the attention given to fur.

Seoul, which has been campaigning to improve its image as a design city and to promote the Floating Island on the Han River as its new landmark, opted for the compromise with the fashion house, despite pressure from animal rights groups.

Some Seoulites voiced negative reaction to the city's decision to allow Fendi to launch its fashion line featuring fur items.

"I used to wear fur products quite a lot without thinking. But I recently watched a television program about animal abuse and became to dislike wearing fur. Now I even hate going to fur sections at shops,"said Park Myung-ok.

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