Gucci has become the latest fashion house to ban all use of fur in its clothing and accessories. The move comes after a particularly active fashion week on the part of anti-fur campaigners, who targeted London shows with vigour this September, including Burberry. The move was announced by Gucci president and CEO Marco Bizzarri during a talk at the London College of Fashion on Wednesday.
‘Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals,’ he said. ‘With the help of HSUS and LAV, Gucci is excited to take this next step and hopes it will help inspire innovation and raise awareness, changing the luxury fashion industry for the better.’
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Gucci joins the likes of Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney and Giorgio Armani in going fur-free, with its last collection for spring/summer 2018 being the first to adhere to this rule. The brand is also joining the Fur Free Alliance, which ‘is an international coalition of 40 animal protection organizations working together to end the exploitation and killing of animals for fur.’ It is also auctioning off any fur products that it still owns, with proceeds going to an Italian animal rights group, LAV, and the Humane Society in the US.
‘Gucci going fur-free is a huge game-changer,’ said Kitty Block, President of Humane Society International. ‘For this Italian powerhouse to end the use of fur because of the cruelty involved will have a huge ripple effect throughout the world of fashion. A staggering one hundred million animals a year still suffer for the fur industry, but that can only be sustained for as long as designers continue to use fur. So we commend Gucci's compassionate decision, and for helping to ensure that the future of fashion is fur-free.’