By Paul Pannone

An outburst by Larry Warshaw pointing the finger  at Steve Lang as a loose cannon sent reverberation throughout the wedding dress business. Lang declared war on websites that pirate American designs and products, selling cheap designs to consumers, causing disruption to the American market.

The unexpected outburst from Warshaw was the culmination of frustration shown by email exchanges alluding to an ambiguous plan in place he feels is now impeded by Lang’s campaign. According to Warshaw Lang should give up his fight and fold into his plan that begun months earlier. According to sources Warshaw has taken a new direction apart from the IBMA that reportedly has $250,000 dollars in the till that needs to be spent.

 

Warshaw-Rickshaw? Too many inconsistencies raise questions to why Warshaw decided to act on his own and why the IBMA president, Alan Dessy, remains invisible.

 

Lang told eWedNewz he became frustrated and tired of waiting for the board to act.

“They’ve dragged their feet for years now, while the industry is in serious peril from these off-shore forces,” according to Lang.

Lang told eWedNewz he’s frustrated again at Warshaw’s decision to blast him and cause further confusion at a very serious time in the wedding dress business.

Lang’s efforts have already raised nearly $100,000 dollars in pledges and commitments to help unify the business and fight against the assault. He’s adequately kept the business informed of how contacts in the United States will be leveraged to fend off the attacks and cut off funds through financial institutions.

According to a growing number of sources Lang’s plan makes the most sense– more than Warshaw’s. Some of the worst critics begin to suspect hidden agendas alleging the aid and abetting of foreign companies. But, as a whole, the majority of sources say they’re in favor of all sides combining to fight off the problems in a unified way.

Sal Macaluso of eFashionCentral.com gave the following statement in reply to recent eWedNewz coverage;

Dear ewednewz.com

Larry Warshaw’s idea of resolving the problem was a good one, but it pales under the efforts that Steve Lang has instigated.  Until Steve stepped up and coordinated a concerted (and expensive!) effort Larry’s idea might have been the best way to go; it is clearly no longer the best plan on the table.

Unfortunately, their efforts are mutually exclusive.  Larry’s idea was to catch the factories red handed, Steve’s idea is to stop them cold; I ask you, whose idea is better?  Of course it is Steve’s.

The more effective that Steve’s plan is in stopping the recalcitrant factories from shipping “out the back door” the less effective Larry’s efforts will be to catch those factories that would have been shipping “out the back door” if they did not know that there were efforts in place to stop them.  I can see why Larry is upset.  Larry is quoted on your website (from an email that he sent to Steve) as saying, “You are damaging the efforts and research we are doing overseas.” He is absolutely correct when he says that Steve’s efforts are thwarting his efforts, but to what end?  To institute a more effective plan!

I truly hope that Larry and all of the IBMA board members will rethink the wisdom of their strategy and consider putting their support behind this new plan.  There is no question that this is now the best option on the table; it’s really as simple as that.  It’s unfortunate that Larry and Steve have other baggage; nonetheless, I hope for the sake of the industry, that Larry and the other IBMA members will be willing to let bygones be bygones and get onboard with this new more effective strategy.”

eWedNewz has learned there is no love lost between Macaluso and Lang, showing further that although Lang’s grandstanding approach to self-promotion is loathed by many, he’s still regarded as a man who cleans up well and knows how to get things done. For critics to support Lang speaks volumes.

eWedNewz continues our investigation into why the IBMA president has not come forward to support either plan.

Your thoughts?

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