You Be the Judge — Cast Your Vote for the Best Fur-Free Design

October 24, 2007

First People's Choice Award in The Humane Society of the United States Annual Fashion Contest for Art Institutes Students

For the first time, The Humane Society of the United States' annual "Cool vs. Cruel" fur-free fashion contest is asking the public to choose their favorite design from out of 16 finalist entries.

The Cool vs. Cruel competition encourages design students enrolled in The Art Institutes fashion programs throughout North America to produce fur-free, animal-friendly fashions by using their own creativity to replace real fur in fashion.

These 16 finalist entries will be judged by a star-studded panel of judges including celebrities and top designers, including Tim Gunn, Victoria Bartlett (VPL), Mickey Boardman (Paper Magazine), Shelly Vella (Cosmopolitan UK) and Inder Bedi (Matt & Nat) to determine the national winner. The national winner chosen by the judges will receive a trip to New York City for the award presentation on November 8, as well as an all expense paid week-long internship with a top designer.

From October 24 through October 29, visitors to The Humane Society of the United States web site can cast their votes for the first "People's Choice" award at humanesociety.org/cvcvote07. 

The People's Choice winner will be announced at the 2007 Cool vs. Cruel awards presentation on November 8 along with the official third-, second- and first-place contest winners.

The designs were submitted from Art Institute schools in Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, New York City, Portland, Seattle, Washington D.C. and Vancouver.

"This is a great opportunity for animal lovers to express their support for the use of alternatives to fur in fashion," said Kristin Leppert, director of the Fur-Free Campaign for The Humane Society of the United States. "Today's consumers are demanding animal-friendly, fur-free apparel. Your vote in the People's Choice award will further that message to designers." 

Visit humanesociety.org/cvcvote07 or artinstitutes.edu/coolvcruel.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at humanesociety.org.

The HSUS Fur-Free Campaign believes that animals need their fur more than we do. Alternative fabrics, both natural and synthetic, eliminate the need to kill animals for this cruel product. Yet each year more than 50 million animals are killed for their fur. The Fur-Free Campaign's media resource webpage details topics and subject matters of HSUS experts. After decades of working with fashion industry insiders, our spokespeople are well-versed, knowledgeable and experienced on the fur-free trend.  hsus.org/furfree/campaigns/media/media_page.html

The Art Institutes (artinstitutes.edu) is a system of over 35 education institutions throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.