Eleven top designers from Paris, Milan and New York. Over 2,000 guests including Beijing’s arts and entertainment stars. A spectacular show celebrating the union of fur and fashion. On October 25, Beijing was wooed by the best furs from the West in an unprecedented event presented jointly by Saga Furs of Scandinavia and the International Fur Trade Federation at the Kerry Centre Shangri-La Hotel. Chinese stars, dignitaries, international and Chinese members of the press and Chinese fashion lovers attended The Fur Show Beijing 2002. An impressive 20-meter runway in the shape of a handwritten “f” was the stage for some of the most beautiful fur and fur-trimmed garments from the western world. They were presented by Christian Lacroix, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Givenchy and Sonia Rykiel from Paris; Roberto Cavalli, Gianfranco Ferrè and Max Mara from Milan; Oscar de la Renta, and Chinese-American designers Vera Wang, Peter Som and Han Feng from New York. Each designer showed a mini presentation featuring his or her interpretation of fashion, making use of luxurious furs treated with novel techniques. Some designers showed highlights from current seasonal collections, while others designed garments specifically for the event. Creations ranged from the vividly coloured pieces from Christian Lacroix’s haute couture collection to the opulent elegance of Gianfranco Ferrè and Oscar de la Renta; from the sexy exhuberance of Givenchy and Roberto Cavalli to the classic styles of Max Mara and the practical feminine looks of Sonia Rykiel. As a bridge between the East and the West, three Chinese-American designers were featured: Peter Som showed his personal interpretation of elegant yet sexy American sportswear; Han Feng presented a group where Western functionality met with Eastern spirituality; and Vera Wang concluded her ever-so-chic looks with a fairy-tale wedding coat. The fashion show ended with Jean-Paul Gaultier, who showed a retrospective of his most spectacular fur creations in recent years, all accessorized with Chinese-style detailing, shown on stunning models. Éric Tibush, Gaultier’s right-hand man, made sure that “the presentation was worthy of the fruitful partnership the French couture house has enjoyed with Saga Furs for several years.” "The Fur Show Beijing 2002," declared Juliette Bailey, the International Fur Trade Federations Executive Director, "gave us a clear vision of all the styles presently in fashion." A broad range of furs were featured, including SAGA Mink® and SAGA Fox® as well as sable, broadtail, raccoon and fitch. The event was preceded by the inauguration of the Saga Design Centre in Beijing. The first centre of its kind outside Scandinavia, it has already established links with 50 of China’s leading manufacturers. The centre will also collaborate with Chinese fashion designers to find new, innovative ways to work with SAGA Mink® and SAGA Fox®. The Beijing Centre is staffed with four Chinese fur technicians who were trained at the Saga Design Centre in Scandinavia. The new offices are also shared by the Copenhagen Fur Center and Finnish Fur Sales to service the Chinese fur industry.