Anti-fur demonstrations cause chaos at London Fashion Week
THE spectacle at London Fashion Week is usually reserved for the catwalks, but this season protesters have caused chaos outside show venues with large demonstrations against fur, despite the fact that most designers now eschew its use.
Many observed the irony of protesting at an event that is largely fur-free anyway, and at a fashion week showcasing mostly spring/summer collections, which rarely contain fur items.
Ahead of London Fashion Week, editors and buyers had been advised by the British Fashion Council (BFC) to avoid wearing “any kind of fur, real or fake”. Surge, an activism organisation that describes itself as being “determined to create a world where compassion towards non-human animals is the norm” was behind the protests.
At Saturday’s Burberry show, crowds of demonstrators were held back by police, and attendees were escorted in and out of the venue by officers. The protests continued at the Versus Versace show yesterday.
Surge’s key demand is that the BFC should ban use of fur on the catwalks. “It seems strange that although the majority of British society is against the use of fur, it is still being given a platform at London Fashion Week,” said Ed Winters, co-director of Surge. “We wanted to make a bold statement at targeted shows where we knew the designers had used fur.”
In a statement, the BFC asserted that it “does not dictate what designers can or cannot design, and has no control over their creative process” but does “encourage designers to ensure that if they choose to work with fur, they work with reputable organisations that supply ethically sourced fur”.
PETA, which has previously protested at LFW, supported “a peaceful stand against the fur industry”.
Mimi Bekhechi, PETA director of international programmes, said: “Fur farming has been banned in the UK for almost 20 years, so it’s despicable that real fur can still be seen on our runways – although most designers have the compassion and common sense not to use it. Most people agree fur should be kicked off our catwalks.” It was a view held almost as widely on the front row as among the protesters outside.