Is fur going out of fashion?

APD NEWS

text

High fashion and ethics don’t always go hand in hand – with fur still a common sight on the catwalk. But increasingly, attitudes to real animal skins are changing – with Gucci the latest major designer name to announce they will no longer work with real fur.

Boosted by the trend of veganism around the world, campaigners are determined to keep up the pressure on brands to change the materials they use. Animal rights group PETA marched in front of the Eiffel Tower on Tuesday, at the launch of Paris Fashion Week, with skeletons painted onto their bodies to highlight the way that fur and leather are produced.

Dior catwalk

“Consumers are often buying real fur without even being aware of it,” said the group’s spokeswoman, Isabelle Goetz. “Dog fur is used to trim coat hoods, for example, because it’s cheaper than using a quality fake. And as for leather, people often believe it’s a byproduct of the meat industry - but actually, animals are reared and killed purely for leather.”

These activists hope to encourage shoppers to ask before they buy – and to prefer brands that don’t use animal products consciously. Designers are being inspired to move away from the real thing by technological advances, like fake furs that are softer and more natural feeling than ever before, and leather made from pineapple and apple fibers.

“The previous generation of synthetic leather substitutes created polluting chemicals in the production process and didn’t wear as well as leather,” explains Maud Pouzin, who recently launched all-vegan Paris boutique Manifeste011 with her twin sister Judith, “but the new fabrics are made sustainably, and feel natural.”

Manifeste011, Paris boutique owned by Maud Pouzin and her twin sister Judith Pouzin

The Pouzin sisters have deliberately designed their shop to look like any other stylish boutique, without putting its ethical credentials front and center, and that means they attract not only vegan shoppers, but also passers-by who are surprised to discover they’re looking at vegan fashion.

“When they find out, people react really well, they’re fascinated,” explains Maud,” and I really think young people care more and more about this sort of question, they’ve been educated to be aware that the planet’s resources are running out, that it’s important to be careful what you buy, so even if they’re not necessarily vegan, they are interested in consuming more ethically.”

Pineapple fiber trainers

Fashion is the second most polluting industry on the planet, and the big brands are increasingly aware they need to clean up their game.

This Paris Fashion Week, designers haven’t shied away from making a statement, with feminist slogan is seen on T-shirts at Dior,

and endangered species replacing the crocodile logo at Lacoste – so while there’s a way to go before we’re all wearing vegan shoes, it’s clear a social conscience is very much in vogue.

(CGTN)