FASHION’S FUR-FREE FUTURE
WHERE GUCCI GOES – others follow. So when the mighty fashion brand announced that it is joining the Fur Free Alliance and that, from January, it will no longer use, promote or publicise fur, there was much fist-pumping all round.
To put this in perspective, Gucci is one of the most influential luxury fashion brands on the planet. It is also one of the most watched – and copied. So while other fashion houses like Giorgio Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren have also committed to banning fur, it is Gucci’s decision to join them that is expected to strike the most profound change within the industry.
‘Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals,’ said Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri during a talk at the London College of Fashion. There he unveiled Gucci’s ‘Culture of Purpose’ – a 10-year sustainability plan that also included the Italian fashion house donating €1 million to Unicef ’s Girls’ Empowerment Initiative.
Bizzarri is one of the most forwardthinking chief executives in the fashion business. It was he who put Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele in the driving seat in 2015 and supported him in transforming the brand, from its once signature glamazonian ideal into its current riotously eclectic vision for men and women. Since then, Gucci’s creative output and sales have surged. Going fur-free puts Gucci further in tune with its mighty Millennial fan base and their spending power. According to the company, 18 to 34-year-olds account for approximately half of its consumers.
Interestingly, Gucci is part of the Kering group – the same luxury conglomerate as Stella Mccartney, a passionately anti-fur designer who’s proved it’s possible to build an international mega brand on these ethical values. Perhaps now we will see fellow Kering companies like Saint Laurent follow suit.
‘Gucci’s decision to go fur-free is a monumental victory for animals and a devastating blow for the fur industry,’ PETA’S director of corporate projects, Yvonne Taylor told us in reaction to the news. ‘Modern designers and consumers are rallying for cutting-edge, cruelty-free fabrics and designs. It’s only a matter of time until all luxury brands catch on and realise that using fur makes them look out of date and out of touch.’
Plenty of brands have tried to mimic Michele’s magic – so the trickle-down effect of the fur decision seems almost inevitable. To see a fashion giant – both in terms of influence and finance – make this decision sets a new standard in the fashion industry and sends the message loud and clear: creativity is infinitely cooler than cruelty. We can only hope more brands follow Gucci’s lead.
DAKOTA JOHNSON and Jon Hamm are ‘casually dating’, an insider close to the actress confirmed to Grazia last week.
The pair are said to have been on a handful of dates in recent months after they were pictured together at Elton John’s 70th birthday party in March. Then, last Thursday, they were reportedly spotted drinking alone together at Kingside – a restaurant and bar in the Viceroy Central Park Hotel in New York, igniting speculation of a romance (‘Jakota’ is already becoming a thing).
‘Jon thinks the world of Dakota and seems to be quite taken with her,’ said the source. ‘He’s been pursuing her and has been really enjoying her company.
‘It’s still early days, but Jon has made it clear that he wants to settle down with someone soon. He has been actively looking for a girlfriend because he absolutely hates being single.’
Indeed, earlier this year, Jon claimed being alone ‘is really hard… It sucks.’ The 46-year-old split from actor and screenwriter Jennifer Westfeldt in 2015 after 18 years together. Though they never married ( Jon once claimed, ‘ We may not have a piece of paper that says we’re husband and wife, but after 10 years, Jennifer is more than just a girlfriend’), they set up their own production company together, with Jon saying he had not ‘ruled out’ having children with her. Their break-up came just months after he attended a 30-day rehab programme in Connecticut for alcohol abuse.
Last year, Grazia revealed that the Mad Men actor had started dating the 28-year-old British actor Juno Temple after a well-placed source spotted them on a date together in an LA restaurant. The actor has also been linked to the US comedian and actor Jenny Slate, 35, and Kate Beckinsale, 44.
As for 28-year-old Dakota? Apparently, less sure ( last week she was also seen getting ‘cosy’ with Chris Martin).
‘She’s enjoying their dates, but she’s told friends she’s just not sure he’d be the right person to settle down with, and she’s aware that that’s what he wants. He’s very keen but she’s taking her time.’