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Germany's Bild Says EU Plans Nudity Coverup
BERLIN - Germany's top-selling newspaper Bild splashed a picture on its front page on Thursday of a woman exposing her breasts in a protest against planned European Union rules it says will ban female nude images in the media.
Under a caption "I'm to be abolished!" pointing toward the woman's breasts, Bild asked its readers: "Don't EU bureaucrats have anything better to worry about?"
The paper said it feared new European sex discrimination rules might stop it showing pictures of scantily clad women.
Britain's tabloid newspapers expressed their indignation on Wednesday. The Sun daily said planned EU law would also do away with racy bra adverts and bring a halt to actresses nibbling chocolate bars suggestively.
7/13
Mexico Retailers Sign Purchasing Pact To See Off Wal-Mart
Three of Mexico's leading retailers on Tuesday agreed a deal to create a purchasing joint-venture aimed at slashing costs and tackling the growing market power of retail giant Wal-Mart de Mexico SA
.
Supermarket chain Controladora Comercial Mexicana SA, Grupo Gigante SA, and Organizacion Soriana SA said the move will boost their competitiveness in the fight against the world's biggest retailer.
"The joint efforts of the three chains will permit them to seek alliances with suppliers, better operations, economies of scale, improved technology and logistics, to achieve more competitiveness, which will enhance the growth of each company while maintaining full independence among them," the trio said in a statement.
Walmex currently has a 50 per cent share of the market and last enjoyed saw record sales of $10.2 billion despite tough trading conditions.
The retailers' pact is similar to one signed by several Chinese retailers earlier this year in a bid to see off the growing threat from Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc which operates thousands of stores around the world.
5/7
Lingerie Bowl 2004
Los
Angeles- Only in California would something like this occur,
Plans
were unveiled today for both the live halftime battle and the one hour
pre-game entertainment extravaganza, hosted by Guilliana Depandi and
Mike Goldberg, featuring a Lingerie show and musical performances.
The event, to be televised on Pay Per View during Super Bowl Halftime,
will be a fiercely competitive 7 on 7 tackle football game between two
teams of 11 beautiful, athletic women each, all of whom want to win!
"Believe me," said
Angie, "We may look like a bunch of girls afraid of breaking a
nail, but we're tough, competitive athletes, This is going to be
serious-and we're gonna take home the Championship trophy!!"
Nikki echoed the sentiment. Left: Eric Schlobohm of Shirley of
Hollywood, in a huddle with some of the team players in uniform.
The sexy custom-made Lingerie uniforms in hot pink and blue with black
lace are made by Shirley of Hollywood.
The
show is expected to be seen by over 130 million people in the U.S.
alone, which is almost 65% male, so this show is virtually guaranteed to
be a success.
Kylie Bax will be hosting the celebrity red carpet, and Tracy Bingham
will be the sideline reporter for the game.
Two prominent model/actresses, Angie Everhart and Nikki Ziering, will be
quarterbacking the seven on seven full contact, tackle football event,
as the Team Euphoria and Team Dream compete to take home the 1st
Lingerie Bowl Championship trophy.
I'll Play!
I'll Play! Who can I tackle 1st????
Making money from lingerie
Undergarments were once precisely just that.
They were happily tucked under clothing, with one's best items saved for safe viewing behind closed doors or, if your mother's warning came true, by an unsuspecting ambulance man.
Young fashion entrepreneur Damaris Evans, winner of last year's Prince's Trust Fashion Enterprise Award in England, has set about to change all that.
The bows are for show outside jeans
Her hand-made pieces of lingerie, with their French silk tassels, Italian velvet trim and intricate embroidery are most definitely there to be seen.
One particular pair of knickers with elaborate bows holding the material together is deliberately designed to peep out the top of the wearer's jeans.
However, even Damaris admits that the tugging of these same bows can be "annoying when in the pub".
And at over £100 ($160) a pair, it's not hard to see why a customer would want to get their money's worth by putting their underwear on general display.
Proper career?
Damaris, aged just 28, is now into her third collection of must-see lingerie designs, already endorsed by the fashion elite such as Jade Jagger and Liv Tyler.
I was designing lots of knickers to wear under the dresses, not that anyone
was going to see but I wanted to do these knickers
But she wasn't always convinced that lingerie or indeed fashion of any sort, was a suitable career.
"I knew I liked designing clothes," she says, "But I always thought I would have to have a 'proper career'."
Coming from a family predominantly made up of doctors, the Evans family idea of "career" was more hospital gowns than French bows.
But Damaris' entrepreneurial spirit was undoubtedly firmly implanted from a young age.
As a young girl, her mother had made clothes for Damaris. "Then she taught me, and a I made a few bits and bobs and sold them at school."
All this at the tender age of 13.
Damaris first realized her passion for clothes-making could translate into that elusive "career" when she found out about the fashion degree at Central St Martin's college in London.
"I did a foundation year, then a four-year womenswear degree... so I could have ended up a doctor after all that anyway!"
I learned exactly how I did not want to run my business
It was at St Martin's that Damaris was drawn to what lay beneath the frocks.
"In my final year collection at St Martin's, I was designing lots of knickers to wear under the dresses, not that anyone was going to see but I wanted to do these knickers.
"I was getting really into it and thought 'maybe I'll just cancel all the clothes and do a lingerie collection'."
Four years later, these haute-couture undies are sold in the fashion houses of well-heeled ladies the world over for anything between £120 and £1,500 ($2200.00) a pair - the latter coming complete with crystals.
Damaris chooses to sell in boutiques favored by her target market - "20-30 year olds who are fashion-conscious with loads of money" - in Europe, the US, Japan and Dubai.
The less risqué among us may soon be able to afford to slip into something a little less comfortable - though possibly without the crystals.
Excuse for speeding
A cop pulls a car over on the highway for speeding. When he asks for the driver's license, the driver argued, "Speeding??? But officer, I was only trying to keep a safe distance between my car the the car in back of me."
"Ask Andy"
Andy Weinstock has been in the fabric and textile business all his life, but professionally since 1969. 
"I love what I do, selling fabrics around the globe. I've met lots of interesting, creative, dynamic
folks; some have become dear friends. I love to help new businesses find the things they need to become successful. It works for everyone."
You can ask Andy questions about Fabrics at
Andy@mcpetesez.com
Dear Andy, I am trying to locate Norbrook fabrics. I need stretch mesh in neon prints and have been told that they have a great selection. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Penny Suozzi
info@lakiss.com
Dear Penny: the last known address for Nor-Brook Industries, Ltd. is at 152 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10011. Their phone number was 212-889-2708. You may also want to try Sew Easy Fabrics in Jersey City, New Jersey (visit
www.seweasy.com ) for the prints you need. Good Luck, Andy
The "Ask Andy" Column is an opinion Column and may
not necessarily reflect the views of
McPete Sez
Hey Sales Reps !!!
Would you like to write an article for this newsletter? we are
looking 
for information for our readers and if you have anything to
contribute please e-mail me.
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