With a burst of pride, Firestone Plastics Co. Inc., a subsidiary of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., last week announced that it had been awarded the Fashion Academy Gold Medal Award. The reason: "Firestone's Velon [a new plastic fabric] accents its economy . . . with distinctive beauty of design and unique color styling." Many a businessman and consumer who have seen the words "Awarded the Fashion Academy Gold Medal" spread across millions of dollars of advertising space, had cause to ask: Just what is the Fashion Academy Gold Medal Award?
The Best. The award is the creation of Emil...