More than fifteen hundred guests who attended the Beijing Fur Fair Gala, understood what the famous film maker Frank Capra meant when he said “Don’t follow trends, start them.”
Over 1,000 Chinese students competed in the NAFA Cup Design Competition over the past five months, ultimately presenting sketches for approval by a panel of judges from the fashion world. The lucky twenty were thrilled to not only to see their designs realized in NAFA Northern Beaver, Raccoon, Coyote, Red Fox, Grey Fox, Ranch Mink and Silver Fox, but also to have them parade the catwalk in front of a very enthusiastic international fur trade.
The distinguished group of judges for the final panel included Mr. Wang Ye, Secretary General of China Fur & Leather, Ms Lu Yue, Art Director of Lu Yue Fashio Design Studio, Ms Qian Dan Dan, Producer of Fashion Circles, Beijing TV, Mr. Stefano Micillo, Chairman of Micillo Italia, Mr. Tony Metaxas, International Fashion Photographer, Mr. Y. J. Lim, President of Jindo, Korea as well as Ms Diane Benedetti, NAFA’s International Marketing Director.
The three lucky winners are: First Place: Zhao Jie, with her feminine coat dress made of sheared Beaver and Raccoon. Second Place, Ms Song Xiao Yuan, with her ultra chic jacket made of Red Fox and sheared beaver. And Third Place, Ms Su Xiao Li with her wrap cape made of Raccoon and sheared Beaver.
Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Ms Gale Shea was pleased to present the winners with their oversized airline ticket to attend an all-expenses-paid week at Studio NAFA in Toronto.
NAFA would like to thank Huasi Agricultural Development Co, Ltd, Beijing Yuanlong Fur & Leather Co, Ltd and Yinshan Fur & Leather Co, Ltd for their painstaking work in developing these designer dreams into reality. Their technical expertise is an important part of the success of these garments.
It is clear that these Chinese design students have seen the future and it includes NAFA Wild Fur, Mink and Fox. These innovative designs prove not only that fur is very much in fashion, it is also fashion in ways the trade may not yet recognize. As our next generation of consumers, we would bet they are designing for their friends as well as themselves.
