Why fur is shockingly making a comeback
As London Fashion Week makes headlines again, Closer investigates how fur is back on the catwalks
It’s the fashion I highlight of the year, where world class designers showcase the upcoming trends for the next season.
But behind the glamour of London Fashion Week, fur is increasingly being showcased on the catwalk – and major labels such as Gucci, Michael Kors and Chanel continue to use real animal fur in their lavish designs.
Karl Lagerfeld – the man behind high fashion brands such as Chanel and Fendi – defended his position, saying: “It’s very easy to say no fur, no fur, no fur, but it’s an industry.
“Who will pay for all the unemployment of the people if you suppress the fur industry. The hunters in the north for the sable, they have no other job, there is nothing else to do.
“The problem with fur… For me, as long as people eat meat and wear leather, I just don’t get the message.”
Even celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Vogue Williams and Jordan are fuelling fur’s popularity by flaunting photos of themselves wearing it on their Instagram pages.
SKINNED ALIVE
And it is believed that celebrities and social media may be the main reason behind the resurgence in people wearing real fur.
Closer’s style editor Daniela Bellanca says: “The Kardashians are the most photographed family in the world with a massive social media presence. Their continuous parade of oversized fur coats is a definite influence and smaller brands have now made it more accessible price-wise.”
Fur’s popularity is having a devastating effect on the animal population overseas – even putting household pets in danger.
And after an investigation into the Chinese fur industry, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has started a new campaign to stop the trading of the product.
Shockingly, in order to keep up with the growing demand, one billion rabbits are killed each year. And in China alone, more than two million cats and hundreds of thousands of dogs are often skinned alive.
Yvonne Taylor, director of corporate projects at PETA, says: “Animal cruelty still happens in Europe. Just last month footage was released of ‘monster foxes’ in Finland, who were being overfed until they weighed 19kg – five times their normal weight – to make them grow more fur. But China is now the world’s biggest exporter of fur because they have no laws in place to protect the animals.
“Many people don’t know the scale of the issue so we want to raise awareness through our new campaign.
“The process is horrific. Cats and dogs are stolen from the streets or bred in farms, before being taken to their deaths.
“Up to 800 animals are piled up in trucks and have broken limbs from where they’re thrown into cages. Heartbreakingly, some are even still wearing their collars and name tags.
“They are killed and skinned and their fur is dyed, trimmed and made into garments before being exported overseas.”
Despite this, research has revealed that some designers are even taking sponsorship from the cruel industry in order to
❛STOLEN CATS AND DOGS ARE USUALLY STILL WEARING COLLARS AND NAME TAGS❜
fund their shows – by agreeing to feature fur garments in their shows in exchange for money.
FUNDING SHOWS
Yvonne says: “People don’t expect big brands to take sponsorship from fur companies.
“The reality is that putting on fashion shows is expensive and some designers are happy to place items in their collections in return for sponsorship money.”
“While some fashion houses may not knowingly use real fur – cat and dog fur is often mislabeled and sold to designers. Without expensive DNA testing it is impossible to tell exactly what material is being used.”
As a result, PETA is urging consumers to speak to designers who use fur and the people who wear it to try to curb the popularity of the product.
Yvonne explains: “It’s crucial to email designers if you see an item of their clothing that contains real fur, just to say that you’re against it. We also encourage people to advise friends or family to think about alternatives.”
The charity hopes this may help kick-start the end of the fur industry overseas and provide hope for the future.
Yvonne explains: “There have recently been some cases of lorries carrying animals being stopped in China by activists, with the animals then being taken to shelters. There’s a growing animal rights movement over there – especially among young people. Not only are people avoiding fur, but they’re choosing to go vegan. It’s a really positive step.
“We need to make sure that the only fur flying off the racks is faux – and encourage designers to stop using the real stuff.”