While the use of fur in fashion has been an ongoing conversation for years, recently the heat seems to have turned up. During the AW18 shows there were protests outside Marc Jacobs during NYFW (even though the designer had only used faux fur), with one protestor even storming the runway at Mary Katrantzou’s show in London (she also didn’t use any real fur).
The latest designer to join the ranks of those going fur-free is Donatella Versace. In an interview for 1843 magazine, she said: “Fur? I am out of that. I don’t want to kill animals to make fashion. It doesn’t feel right.”
The news is big for the Italian house – that is known for its amped-up glamour – as it has used fur for years. A quick search of Versace’s website only appears to reveal one mink-collared coat, however.
Donatella is not the only designer to go fur-free recently. Gucci also announced that it would no longer be using fur in its collections – something it upheld at its recent AW18 show. Tom Ford and Michael Kors also announced they would be ditching the material after using it for years, while faux fur featured prominently on Givenchy’s runway this season.
As conversations around the use of the controversial material continue, there will likely be others who will join Donatella in going fur-free in the future.
UPDATE: the International Fur Federation’s CEO Mark Oaten responded to Versace with the following statement: “I am very disappointed to hear that Versace has said they won’t use real fur in collections. The majority of top designers will continue to work with fur as they know it is a natural product that is produced responsibly. With growing concern about the environment and plastics in fashion, I truly believe fur is the natural and responsible choice for designers and consumers.”