Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto opened Paris Fashion Week with a glitzy collection that is expected to set the tone for the other shows to follow.

The Paris fashion industry for the last several years has been driven by an insatiable worldwide demand for luxury goods. While the domestic economy is experiencing difficulties, and expensive goods are beyond the paycheck of most Europeans, exports of pricey items keep reaching new record levels.

<< Yohji Yamamoto Spring/Summer 2006 Collection during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Steve Wood - Stardustfashion.com

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There was mayhem and injury at the Fendi show in Milan last week when an overcrowded photographer's riser suddenly collapsed moments before the start of the show. Poor construction is suspected in the mishap.

Some of the world's leading runway photographers were left on their own to scramble to get colleagues and equipment out of the hole that suddenly opened up under them. Very little additional help was provided. Several broken ankles and other injuries were reported. When the show started an hour later only a handful of the photographers returned while the others were too disgusted by the poor manner in which they were treated to come back for more.

Witnesses say the whole incident was regrettable since the Fendi Collection was exceptionally strong. Hopefully lessons can be learned from the fiasco.

Photographers, who are the ones that supply vital images to the world's media, are typically neglected and face dangerous working conditions everyday that would hardly be tolerated in any other industry.

<< Fendi Spring/Summer 2006 Collection during Milan Fashion Week.
Photo: Randy Brooke

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