Seoul, Korea: Scores of animal rights activists demonstrated Thursday outside a fashion show in the South Korean capital in protest at a decision by Italian designer Fendi to include fur.

"The company of blood, Fendi, the city of blood, Seoul," read one banner outside the venue, a newly completed floating island on the Han river.

"Fur is cruel," read another.

City officials earlier threatened to cancel the event unless all fur items were removed from the catwalk, but later relented after organisers apparently agreed to reduce the number of such items in the show.

An AFP correspondent saw about 12 fur garments in the autumn/winter collection, fewer than the 20 originally planned.

But an estimated 80-90 protesters outside the venue were not appeased.

"A lot of Europeans reject the idea of using fur for clothes, so now luxury companies are rushing to Asia instead to cash in," said Jo Hee-Kyung, head of the Korea Animal Welfare Association.

His members were there to convey a message from the people of Seoul, he said.

Among the demonstrators were elementary schoolchildren, who held stuffed toy animals and wore rabbit ears. "It hurts so much, don't skin us," they chanted.

Police said about 100 plain-clothes officers were on duty but no incidents were reported.