Source:  The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Elaborate costumes inspired by popular “cosplay” and traditional puppetry characters will be showcased alongside the latest in functional garments at the 2009 FUSE Textile Fashion Week, which opens this Friday at the Yunlin Glove Puppet Museum in Huwei Township.

This year the event will put the spotlight on traditional Taiwanese Pili puppet theater (budaixi), a form of entertainment known for its special effects, colorful personages, and state-of-the-art animated fight scenes. “Yunlin County is very famous for its Pili puppet theater and hand towel production,” noted Wang Ya-ger, director of the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) consumer goods and chemical industries division, during an event announcement yesterday.

The 2009 FUSE will also showcase stitchless, high-performance clothing, as well as creations inspired by “cosplay,” or “costume play,” which usually features characters from Japanese or East Asian manga, anime, or comic books.

Wang said the fashion event is now in its fifth year, after successful runs in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Taichung in previous years.

“The event is the result of our efforts in promoting Taiwan's cultural and creative industries,” said Bai Chi-chung, Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) president.

“Even though Taiwan is not very rich in natural resources, we are very strong in the area of innovation,” he pointed out.

“The 2009 FUSE will show that we are no longer stuck in the initial phase of research and development but we are already at a stage where we are capable of creating business opportunities by introducing finished products,” said Bai.