¥Life Journeys¡¦ 2008 Charity Fashion Calendar Launches

¥Life Journeys¡¦ 2008 Charity Fashion Calendar Launches

November 28, 2007

Cotton Council International¡¦s follow-up to Its
Award-Winning 2007 Effort Celebrates Moments in Life

Legends Including Shek Kin, Mandy Lieu, Gordon Liu, Ti Lung
Support Disadvantaged Children in China

    HONG KONG, Nov. 28 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- One year ago,
Cotton Council International unveiled Evolutions, which
packaged cutting-edge fashion photography and designer
brands within a groundbreaking East-meets-West calendar
concept. Today, an array of Hong Kong and Mainland talent
helped CCI launch its 2008 calendar, Life Journeys, at The
Peninsula¡¦s Felix bar & restaurant. 

    During the event, scores of fashion media and industry
VIPs watched as the models and celebrities, all of whom
participated in the charity project, came to the stage one
by one to spell out the 12 letters of ¡§Life Journeys,¡¨
with each letter corresponding to their month in the
calendar. Among the stars involved who appeared onstage
were Chinese pop stars Jing Bo Ren (April) and Fu Xin Bo
(June) of the band BoBo; leading talent manager Mani Fok
(August); Mani¡¦s newborn niece, Crystal Lee (January);
Gordon Liu (September), the kung fu legend who also
appeared in both ¡§Kill Bill¡¨ films; and up-and-coming
model Irene Wang. 

    In a pair of videotaped messages filmed for the launch
event, 95-year-old actor Shek Kin told the crowd,
¡§Although I was not able to join you today, I am happy to
have been able to make this calendar with all of you. I am
also glad to be the subject for December. Please come and
support this calendar.¡¨

    Kung fu star and actor Ti Lung (November) added, ¡§I am
delighted to be a part of this calendar project. The
calendar illustrates different stages of life, and I think
it is very meaningful, especially as this is the first time
my wife and I have worked together in front of the
camera-she is a low-profile person and seldom seeks the
limelight!¡¨  

    In Life Journeys these celebrities and leading
international catwalk models-who also include Mainland
actress Tong Yao (March), considered by many to be the next
Zhang Ziyi, and famous model Mandy Lieu-wear pieces by
premium licensees of COTTON USA, the high-quality
ingredient brand marketed globally by CCI, including
Nautica, LEE, SPY HENRY LAU and Wacoal.

    Cross-cultural fashion
    The calendar depicts key moments in life through
evocative sets, world-class photography and subjects
ranging in age from 0-95. It employs a vertical format
typical of Chinese calligraphic scrolls and shan shui
paintings, in comparable size-the calendar measures 109cm
from top to bottom and 41.5cm across. 
    
    Elements of both the Chinese lunar calendar and the
Western agrarian calendar are communicated in traditional
and simplified Chinese as well as English.

    Life Journeys is art that can be used. The fashion
aspect is enhanced by garment bag-style packaging and a
contemporary steel hanger that enables owners to enjoy this
unique piece of art as they would any other-by hanging it on
a wall. The functional aspects, together with the
West-inspired fantasy elements of the art direction, create
an effect seen in the best of today¡¦s fashion. 

    A calendar with a cause
    The calendar also represents a unique charity
opportunity. As with many works of art, Life Journeys has
been produced in an extremely limited print run, and it is
available for sale only online at
http://www.lifejourneys2008.com . All proceeds from sales
of Life Journeys will go to Care for Children, a nonprofit
organization based in the West but operating to improve the
lives of the millions of orphaned or abandoned children in
China.
    
    The calendar is priced at USD 77 (RMB 600/ HKD 600).
The 12 calendar images are also available for download free
of charge as wallpaper and 
e-greeting cards.

     ¡§US cotton is a natural companion for life,¡¨ said
Ms. Karin Malmstrom, Director-China/ Hong Kong of Cotton
Council International, who was also the originator of the
Life Journeys concept. ¡§It is fashionable, comfortable,
versatile and durable, so it provides for various human
needs and desires across all stages of life. We hope that
through this project we have also been able to make a
difference for disadvantaged children in China who deserve
a chance to pursue their own journeys within loving,
nurturing families.¡¨

    Life Journeys was shot by renowned fashion photographer
C.K. Chan. It was funded entirely by Cotton Council
International to promote COTTON USA and to provide funding
for the efforts of Care for Children.

    COTTON USA licensees represented in the calendar
include Ashworth, Byford, Chicks, Esprit Home, Exception,
Hanes, LEE, Marie Claire, Nautica, Piyo Piyo, Salad, SPY
HENRY LAU, Tough and Wacoal.

    About Cotton Council International
    Cotton Council International (CCI) is the non-profit
overseas arm of the National Cotton Council of America
(NCC), an organization which represents all sectors of the
U.S. cotton industry from farming through textile
manufacturing. CCI operates with the intent to promote the
use of U.S. cotton in apparel and home textiles around the
world.

    http://www.cottonusa.org 
    http://www.cottonusa.org.cn 

    About Care for Children
    Care for Children exists to relieve hardship, distress
and sickness in abandoned and orphaned children in China by
introducing strategic childcare initiatives at the request
of, and in cooperation with, Chinese national and local
authorities. CFC has a vision to see 1 million children in
families by 2010. 

    Care for Children began work on its first foster care
pilot project with Shanghai Civil Affairs in 1998.
Following this initial success, three other projects were
started in Kunming, Yinchuan and Chengdu. Recognizing the
value of Care for Children¡¦s project work, the Ministry of
Civil Affairs invited Care for Children to partner with the
China Social Work Association on a nationwide project in
the 14 poorest provinces of China.
CFC is currently active in the UK, US, Hong Kong and
China.

    http://www.careforchildren.com.cn

    For inquiries about Cotton Council International¡¦s
Life Journeys, please contact:

    Wade Lundin
    Associate Director
    GolinHarris
    Tel:    [phone]
    Mobile: [phone]
    Fax:    [phone]