'No animals were harmed,' says Kylie Jenner, whose ultra-realistic lion head caused a stir at Paris

Kylie Jenner arrived at the first show of the season wearing a lifelike lion's head on her shoulder, kicking off couture week in Paris with a roar. Although, some social media users mistook the Schiaparelli mane for a genuine piece of taxidermy, not all animal activists were disturbed.

Swati Bhat

Mane event: Kylie Jenner arrived at the Schiaparelli show in Paris wearing a dress with a lifelike lion’s head attached. Photograph: Laurent VU/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock

The Schiaparelli gown, which also walked the runway, was made of "foam, wool, and silk faux fur, and hand painted to look as lifelike as possible," according to the brand's Instagram account.

To be clear, the brand added in all caps: "NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN MAKING THIS LOOK."

However, the French fashion house may have made a mistake by choosing the controversial youngest scion of the Kardashian-Jenner clan to debut a gown that is open to interpretation.

Commenters on social media speculated that if anyone could pull off a real lion's head, it would be Jenner. Several Twitter users appeared to have misidentified the head as a genuine taxidermy piece.

Russian model Irina Shayk walks the runway in the lion dress. Photograph: REX/Shutterstock

Some of the backlash was more nuanced. One comment on Schiaperelli’s Instagram post, which has attracted more than 600 likes, said: “We have to stop showing animals as luxury ‘products’. They may be made from foam but these are endangered species that have historically been killed for their pelts to be turned into garments.”

The fashion house, which has deep ties to the surrealist art movement, was originally established in 1927. Like many luxury fashion brands at the time, the house, under the direction of its founder Elsa Schiaparelli, used exotic furs and animal skins in its original heyday. While outsized animal motifs remained when the brand was revived by Tod’s Group in 2012, the house has subsequently eschewed real fur.

Not all animal rights activists were disturbed by the lion, with the Peta president Ingrid Newkirk praising the look. She told TMZ that the brand’s collection of three-dimensional animal heads was “fabulously innovative” and “may be a statement against trophy hunting, in which lion families are torn apart to satisfy human egotism”.

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CarMax collaborates with UVeye to automate inspections at Wholesale auctions.

Dallas, January 24: CarMax will use UVeye technology to automate vehicle inspections across their wholesale network.

Pritish Bagdi

Courtesy: UVeye official

CARMAX, THE NATION'S LARGEST RETAILER OF USED CARS AND ONE OF THE LARGEST USED-CAR WHOLESALERS, HAS JOINED FORCES WITH UVEYE TO PROVIDE AI-ENHANCED CONDITION REPORTS FOR AUCTION BUYERS.

Since 2021, CarMax has been a strategic investor in UVeye. The companies have been collaborating on new ways to improve used-car auction processes. During the previous fiscal year, CarMax's wholesale division sold over 700,000 vehicles.

Under a licencing agreement with UVeye, CarMax is implementing industry-first inspection technology for its wholesale business operations.

UVeye systems detect issues ranging from worn tyres and sheet metal problems to underbody damage by utilising artificial intelligence, machine learning, sensor fusion, and high-speed camera systems.

In 2020, CarMax will move its auction sales online. In a remote-first world, capturing high-quality imagery is critical to providing buyers with as much information about each vehicle as possible. UVeye systems have already been installed at several wholesale locations, and the company intends to roll out UVeye technology throughout its wholesale business.

CarMax will use UVeye vehicle scans to inspect vehicle exteriors, undercarriage components, and tyres in order to quickly produce online user-friendly reports with high-resolution photos. CarMax's systems will also be able to detect issues such as frame damage, missing parts, and fluid leaks, as well as brake and exhaust-system problems.

“UVeye is on a mission to standardize automated inspection processes throughout the automotive industry. Our program with CarMax represents a significant step towards meeting that goal. It’s a true privilege to have CarMax on this journey with us both as an investor and as a strategic customer. We will continue to work together on providing the best customer experience possible.”

Communiqué by - AMIR HEVER, UVEYE

Co-Founder & CEO

“CarMax’s purpose is to drive integrity by being honest and transparent in every interaction. Our partnership with UVeye allows us to further this mission by providing dealers with highly detailed imagery on auction vehicles online." Communiqué by - DAVE UNICE, CARMAX

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Zara files a copyright infringement lawsuit against Thilikó

Zara, a subsidiary of the world's largest retailer Inditex, has filed a complaint against the Los Angeles-based fashion label Thilikó, LLC, accusing it of copyright infringement, false advertising, and deceptive trade practises under New York state law. Zara claims that the brand lies about the origin and source of its clothing and accessories.

Swati Bhat

Courtesy: Inditex media room

On January 4, the group filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York, accusing Thilikó of passing off its products as its own. Thilikó is accused of purchasing Zara products, removing the labels, replacing them with their own, and selling them for significantly higher prices.

The marketing and labels give the impression that the products are designed and manufactured by Thilikó before being sold via its own e-commerce website and other retailers.

Thilikó is also accused of misusing copyrighted photos published on Zara's website, in violation of the website's policy prohibiting the use and alteration of materials without permission.

Zara has previously been accused of stealing products from luxury and high-end brands. Nonetheless, Thilikó positions itself as a socially responsible and committed brand that provides sustainable clothing, which Zara calls false.

Zara is now seeking monetary damages as well as injunctive relief to prevent Thilikó from stealing products and images. The defendants' conduct, according to the group, is ongoing and "undoubtedly" includes additional copyright infringements that have not yet been disclosed.

However, it is also possible that the brand obtains the goods from third-party manufacturers who copy Zara items without informing the brand.

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