ELEPHANT PARADE 2010 TAKES OVER TRAFALGAR SQUARE

TOURISTS USUALLY FLOCK TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE IN LONDON TO STAND UNDERNEATH NELSON'S COLUMN AND POSE BY THE FAMOUS FOUR LIONS. BUT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT ATTRACTION RECENTLY AS A COLOURFUL PARADE OF HAND-PAINTED BABY ELEPHANTS TOOK CENTER STAGE. A COLLECTION OF 260 LIFE-SIZED MODELS DECORATED BY CELEBRITIES AND ARTISTS IS BEING PLACED ALL OVER THE CAPITAL THIS SUMMER FOR THE LONDON ELEPHANT PARADE 2010. TOMMY HILFIGER, DIANE VON FURSTENBURG, LULU GUINNESS, MARC QUIN AND JOHN ROCHA ARE AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN PART IN THE INITIATIVE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PLIGHT OF ASIAN ELEPHANTS. AMONG THE WORKS MARCHING ON TRAFALGAR SQUARE WAS MATTHEW WILLIAMSON'S ELEPHANT MADE UP OF A GLITTERY RAINBOW OF COLOURS, AND HILGIGER'S ARTWORK PAINTED BOLD RED AND SPORTING A MOHICAN OF FOLIAGE ACROSS ITS HEAD. AN ELEPHANT BY PAUL SMITH WAS FASHIONABLY ATTIRED IN PASTEL SHADES AND SIGNED BY THE DESIGNER ON ITS KNEE. THE HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE ARTWORKS WILL POP UP AT A HOST OF LONDON LANDMARKS INCLUDING BUCKINGHAM PALACE, PARLIAMENT SQUARE AND THE SOUTH BANK OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BEFORE BEING AUCTIONED OFF TO RAISE £2 FOR CHARITY. THE MONEY WILL HELP THE ELEPHANT FAMILY CHARITY AND MORE THAN 15 UK CONSERVATION CHARITIES WORKING IN ASIA. JEWELRY DESIGNER SABINE ROEMER DRESSED HER ELEPHANT WITH A 700 CARAT EMERALD ON ITS FOREHEAD. SHE SAID IT WAS 'AMAZING' TO SEE HER COMPLETED WORK IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE. 'WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT A YEAR AGO', SHE SAID. 'I WANTED TO HAVE A VERY TRADITIONAL INDIAN-LOOKING ELEPHANT AND TO MAKE A JEWELRY PIECE.' THE UNIQUE ARTWORKS INCLUDE THREE ANONYMOUSLY-DECORATED ELEPHANTS WITH BOXING GLOVES, REPRESENTING THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, LABOUR AND THE CONSERVATIVES. THE THREE 'POLITICAL' ELEPHANTS WILL MYSTERIOUSLY ACQUIRE VARIOUS BRUISES AND BLACK EYES AS THE PARTIES SLUG IT OUT IN THE FINAL DAYS BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION. TANAZ DIZADJI, ART PATRON OF ELEPHANT PARADE 2010, SAID THE IDEA HAD TAKEN AROUND 18 MONTHS TO PUT TOGETHER. 'IT'S REALLY EXCITING, WE NEED LONDON TO BE BRIGHT AND COLOURFUL', SHE SAID. ORGANIZERS SAID THAT WHILE ELEPHANTS HAVE PARADED IN HOLLAND AND SIMILAR ARTWORK COWS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN LONDON BEFORE, THIS IS THE FIRST PARADE OF ELEPHANTS FOR BRITAIN.