Stripping Fashion of Fur: Designers, Luxury brands and Cities make the Switch from Fur to Faux

After one of the hottest summers on record, Autumn is in full swing bringing with it an icy chill in the air and the need for a whole new wardrobe.

Synonymous with Autumn, fur trimmed coats, boots and accessories have never gone out of style with the need for cruelty-free alternatives growing year on year.

In a landmark move across the pond, Los Angeles has made the decision to ban fur from all shops within the city. The decision came after the council voted unanimously in favour of outlawing real fur products across clothing and accessories sold within LA, well known for being the home of Hollywood.

The ban is the latest in a string of victories for animal welfare activists and others opposed to the trade, like Norway, San Francisco and the Brazilian fashion capital Sao Paolo are other cities to have made the decision to outlaw fur.

In a bold move for Britain, the news follows the announcement that London Fashion Week will no longer feature animal fur – a first in the event’s 35-year history. Caroline Rush, chief executive of the council, said that the fur-free fashion festival “highlights a trend we have seen over the past few years, with more and more brands deciding to use alternative materials to fur”.

Not only is the move to faux fur being adopted by high profile events, huge brands such as Burberry are also making a change towards the use of fur alternatives.

In a statement announcing their decision to end the use of fur in their fashion lines, Marco Gobbetti, Burberry’s chief executive commented “Modern luxury means being socially and environmentally responsible” adding “this belief is core to us at Burberry and key to our long-term success”.

Burberry will be added to the growing list of luxury fashion brands going fur-free which includes the likes of Gucci, Armani, Stella McCartney, Versace amongst many more.

As 2018 draws to a close, Waxman International is confident that 2019 will bring with it even more success stories from across the world as the fight against real fur sales continues.

Andrea Sblano – November 2018