CLOTHING manufacturer Pacific Brands has pulled out of the Melbourne Fashion Festival after outrage over its decision to send jobs offshore.
Festival director Karen Webster told News Ltd the company has withdrawn from two major shows and its "Berlei Bus'' will not be at the festival.
"The festival will now use this opportunity to promote local and independent designer brands in the scheduled time slots as part of the ongoing commitment to support the next generation of the fashion industry,'' she said.
The festival would have faced a public protest by unionists dressed as rats if it had gone ahead with the Pacific Brands events.
In what is a major blow for the company, it will still hand over about $100,000 in sponsorship as well as supplying more than 300 uniformed volunteers to the event.
A Pacific Brands spokesman denied claims that its commitment to the festival was up to $500,000.
He said the figure, closer to $100,000, was "a longstanding trend with the fashion festival which has been going on for many years . . . this is an essential part of our support for the industry''.
