“A wool sweater is as cruel as a mink coat.” With this statement, PETA takes a stance on a controversial issue: the use of fur in the fashion industry and the fur-free movement.
Legend has it that one day, back in 1996, Anna Wintour (editor-in-chief of Vogue) was dining at a restaurant in New York when the waiter, actually an activist, served her nothing less than a dead raccoon. Twenty years later, fur remains very present on the catwalks, and the debate about its use continues with the same fervor, especially now that major brands are gradually joining the fur-free movement.
Gucci, one of the latest additions to the fur-free movement
Gucci has been the latest to join a long list of brands implementing an anti-fur policy. A decision that contrasts greatly with the use of fur throughout its history and, most recently, in its collections. Let’s remember the boom of backless mules with fur lining from the last fall-winter season.
Gucci, Spring 2018
The person responsible for this change is Alessandro Michele, who has not stopped making changes since taking over as the brand’s creative director in 2015. The ban on fur in their garments comes into effect from the Spring-Summer 2018 collection.
Faux fabrics: the new treasure
But what do brands base their decision on for a fur-free policy? Ethics, animal protection, resource rationalization? The motivations are diverse, although what designers agree on is the value they place on technological advancements and the applications these advancements can have on fashion and the creation of increasingly realistic faux fabrics.
A twist, a change in scenery that shifts investment (from farms to science) and, as we are seeing, has a high level of contagion among industry insiders.
Calvin Klein, Spring 2018
Just a year ago, another major brand, Armani, announced it would stop using animal fur in its garments. But this socially responsible policy is not new. We already saw in the 1990s that the issue was at its peak. Calvin Klein went fur-free in 1994, Ralph Lauren in 2006, Tommy Hilfiger in 2007, and so on with a long list of brands that, sooner or later, have joined in. Vivienne Westwood, Hugo Boss, and the Spanish brand Adolfo Dominguez are some examples.
But if there’s one brand that stands out for being eco-friendly, for seeking responsible alternatives, and for avoiding the use of animal fur from the start, it’s Stella McCartney. The designer, a vegetarian, environmentalist, and PETA activist, has become the poster child for green luxury.
Stella McCartney, Fall 2017
Faux fur remains on trend
For fall-winter 2017, the faux fur trend continues. Sisley has launched a whole line with seven models, of course, made of synthetic fur. Jackets, bombers, coats, shoulder wraps, and maxi vests are the pieces in this colorful collection ready for a winter that seems never to come.
Sisley faux fur collection
Brands are gradually joining the fur-free movement, and although there are still diverse opinions within the industry, technology has made it so that consumers hardly notice the difference between animal fur and synthetic fur. This fact may make it easier for us to decide which option to choose.
