‘Diane Von Furstenberg is a designer we admire hugely. Yet today, she joins the ranks of brands giving in to pressure and intimidation from groups like PETA. Their extremist views see them making outrageous statements. They veto the use of animal testing even if it could cure HIV, and have revoltingly compared the chicken food industry to the Jewish holocaust.
Giving up fur because of the ‘environmental impact of farmed fur’ makes absolutely no sense. Farmed fur is one of the most sustainable circular practices in the fashion world. Fur farming, apart from the beautiful fashion it produces, generates fertilizers, bio diesel fuels and oils for a host of industries including but not limited to the beauty and cosmetics industry. We would love to invite Diane to visit a fur farm to see all of this for herself.
It is widely misleading, ill-informed and outdated to claim that fur farming only plays into vanity and fashion.
Diane should be more concerned about fake fur, the ‘sophisticated alternative’ she will now use which is made of plastic and synthetics and never biodegrades. It contributes to the fashion industry being the second most polluting industry in the world, after the oil industry, which is also a key component in fake fur!
It is time for designers who join the anti-fur ‘trend’ to be honest and upfront with their consumers and the media. Let’s put a stop to these cynical PR frenzies and call out those designers who give up fur to secure column inches whilst continuing to work with snake and alligator skin as well as other animal materials that are actually less sustainable than fur.
The International Fur Federation only supports ethically and sustainably sourced fur; we work tirelessly to continue to tighten regulations and promote transparency.
Now is the time for brands and designers to be straight with consumers. Boycotting fur is no more than a cheap publicity stunt. Honest brands and designers should put their customers’ freedom of choice first and foremost.”