Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2021
Dolce & Gabbana and Moncler are the latest luxury brands to ban animal fur.
Dolce & Gabbana will continue to collaborate with the fur artisans in its supply chain, incorporating more sustainable faux fur alternatives, as well as recycled materials, the Italian fashion house said in a statement today. The announcement was supported by the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International.
“The entire fashion system has a significant social responsibility role that must be promoted and encouraged: we will integrate innovative materials into our collections and develop environmentally friendly production processes, while at the same time preserving artisans’ jobs and know-how otherwise in danger of fading,” group communication and marketing officer Fedele Usai said in a statement. “A more sustainable future can’t contemplate the use of animal fur.”
Moncler said it will stop sourcing fur in 2022, last week, as part of its work with Italian organization LAV, another representative of the Fur Free Alliance. The last collection to feature fur — including Moncler’s signature puffer jackets — will be Autumn/Winter 2023.
Momentum is building: German e-commerce retailer Mytheresa will no longer offer fur products from Spring/Summer 2022 onwards, and stopped buying exotic skins in Spring/Summer 2021. US retailer Neiman Marcus plans to phase out all fur products by early 2023, a move which includes closing its 22 fur departments across Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores. Outdoor brand Canada Goose plans to phase out fur by the end of 2022; and French conglomerate Kering went fur-free in September last year, with all collections to cease using animal fur from Autumn/Winter 2022 onwards, a pledge Gucci already took in 2017. “The world has changed, along with our clients, and luxury naturally needs to adapt to that,” CEO and chairman François-Henri Pinault said in a statement at the time.
Fur-free announcements often come after long-term engagement between luxury brands and animal welfare organizations.
“The amount of companies going fur-free in the last year is staggering,” says Humane Society fashion policy director PJ Smith. “The majority of luxury brands are fur-free now, with very few left selling fur. The elephant in the room is LVMH.” LVMH could not immediately be reached for comment. LVMH has its own animal-based raw materials sourcing charter, which commits to regulate sourcing of fur, leather, exotic leather, wool and feathers, traceability of origin and supply chains; and respect for workers, the environment and biodiversity throughout the different stages of each of the animal-based supply chains.
“There’s competition among brands now as to who is the best on animal welfare,” Smith continues. “Companies are starting to see that they can do well by doing good. They might ban fur first and take additional steps in the future, phasing out exotic skins, angora and down, while investing in next generation plant-based materials like mycelium.”
Originally published in Voguebusiness.com
