While Animalia presently didn't enjoy full support in every sector of America, particularly with its President, there were still areas where they were doing quite well. And in some reports, the areas were Animalia was doing well was proving to have enough influence to help counter the areas where they weren't doing quite so well. In some cases these things were actually proving quite successful, and among them was with various clothing companies and designers. Many companies had presented ideas for designs to various Animalian leaders that they could get in contact with, though the one that seemed to understand the most was Maggie, the head of the "Animalia School of Modelling." Many of these companies had remembered her time as a model and ultimately brought their ideas to her, which she was ultimately happy to share her two cents on with regard to things Animalians needed.
There were of course the standard things in making sure any and all clothing could fit around the very healthy bodies that Animalians sported. However, that wasn't the biggest concerns and points that Maggie felt needed to be considered for "Animalian Fashion." The biggest issue was to try and limit the irritability of certain fabrics. While it wasn't that fabrics hurt Animalians, it was really more that for mammal and bird based Animalians, many fabrics had enough of a weave to them that when they lay on top of their fur or feathers that they could cause an irritating feeling. For some Animalians this wasn't as big of a problem as it was for others, but Maggie had noticed that many Animalians based off of birds and/or mammals had some degree of irritation. Reducing that was a major issue.
Another thing that Maggie brought up was that things for Animalians had the potential for adaptation for certain anatomical features that weren't present in humans. Bat and bird Animalians had their wings on their backs and were separate from their arms. In this there was some difference from how normal birds and bats functioned, as their wings would actually translate over to arms in primates and humans. Maggie chalked that up to one of the unknown ways in which the Animalia Virus functioned that Horizon was still researching, but the fact remained that bird and bat Animalians needed space for the wings on their back and the less that clothing interfered with that wing motion the better. There was also the issue for the tails that Animalians had. Some like the two Manx House Cat Animalians were perfectly fine with normal clothing, as they didn't have tails. But Animalians with tails needed some alteration for them, and this could also vary on the type of Animalian.
Bird Animalians needed clothing that wouldn't bend or break their tail feathers, which they still needed to help guide them in flight. Cat and many other mammal Animalians needed the cloth to be flexible enough to let them fit their tails through but would be "tight" enough that that they wouldn't be left mooning people when they turned around once their tail was fitted through. Cetacean and many reptilian based Animalians needed larger and more sturdy alterations because of the size of their tails in proportion to their hips. All of these required certain changes in design that Maggie had told these companies. Basic day to day wear had been managed, often with specific modifications made by the Animalian wearing the clothing, but this had all been with clothing designed for humans. The show at present was to provide some ideas for fashions that were designed exclusively for Animalians.
"I must say you've done a marvelous job," Maggie commented to a representative of one of the companies that had been showing her ideas as she watched Karen walk by on a raised platform in a dark grey dress with a white faux fur neck and had an open back that came down about halfway. The Snow Leopard Animalian walked across the platform to the end, paused for some of the flashbulbs to go off and then turned to head back. Unlike most other dresses, the slit went up the back of the dress rather than the side and was fastened around the base of her tail by a series of buttons. To hide and disguise the buttons, there was another ruff of white faux fur there as well. "I'm not too sure on how many ballroom type events Animalia may have... but the design is... workable."
"Thank you," the designer smiled, "I'm not sure on how much it will reduce the itching, but the area for where the tail would fit through the back is adjustable to adapt for many different tail styles... and you never know. From some of the gossip I've heard, your Mayor could find herself rubbing shoulders with a lot of upscale people..."
"I think Mayor Clara would probably happier with her mate and children," Maggie commented as they looked over to see both Clara and Richard sitting in seats on the other side of the platform with Animalia's Deputy Mayor, Robbie to Richard's right.
"Well even if not her... than someone from Animalia will," the designer commented, "the present grumblings can't last forever the attempts to try and "control" Animalians will eventually stop. Look at how many have come to the show and look how there aren't massed protests or things like that going on outside."
Maggie nodded and then gazed out at the crowd that had come to see the event. There was an impressive crowd there, but while there were a fair amount of Animalians present, Maggie was surprised to see that most of the audience were in fact normal humans. There had been a few wolf whistles from some in the audience, but Maggie had long accepted that as a part of modeling. She could vaguely remember a man offering a marriage proposal to her once during a show when she was younger. Those sorts of things just came along from time to time. However, there were also many people there that seemed generally curious and seemed to be enjoying the show for what was intended, the modelling of new clothing lines for Animalians. And that response, Maggie considered a success, as it helped show Animalian taste in things, and would also show to critics that with regard to clothing that Animalia was NOT a glorified nudist colony.
"I think you've all done well," the designer said with some encouragement to Maggie.
"I'd think so too," Maggie said with a smile.