The start of London Fashion Week has stirred debate concerning the
industry’s ongoing use of fur, as animal rights organizations tap into the
momentum surrounding the event to remind consumers of the health hazards
and animal cruelty linked to fur production.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) staged a protest at
Brewer Street Car Park, on Friday morning during the opening of London
Fashion Week during which models donned gasmasks to remind attendees of the
toxic and potentially carcinogenic used in fur manufacturing.
“There’s nothing fashionable about fur torn from the bodies of struggling
animals and then laden with chemicals that are dangerous to people who wear
it”, commented PETA Associate Director Elisa Allen. “PETA is urging kind
people to choose fur-free clothing for the sake of their own health and
animal welfare.”
London Fashion Week’s bi-annual showcase includes collections from
designers such as Alexander McQueen, Belstaff, Burberry and Roksanda who
typically use animal fur and can have a huge influence on high street
trends, stressed the Humane Society International/UK, who
recently published an undercover video highlighting the ongoing
animal cruelty at Chinese fur farms.
As one of the largest fur producing countries in the world, China
‘produced’ 13 million foxes and 14 million raccoon dogs in 2014, with close
to 7 million pounds worth of fur skins and product making their way to the
UK from China and Hong Kong. Research has shown that UK consumers are often
due to inproper
labelling as a result.
“There is nothing glamorous about the squalid conditions on fur farms and
lifelong misery of these abused animals,” said Claire Bass, Executive
Director of HSI/UK. “Life is cheap on the fur farms of China and elsewhere,
so much so that fox and raccoon dog fur trim can be bought for only a few
pounds or pence. These hats, coats and accessories are so inexpensive that
consumers often wrongly assume the fur is fake.”
“We’re urging designers and retailers to go fur-free, and we’re campaigning
for clear labelling of animal fur to allow consumers to make an informed
ethical choice. Our video is a timely reminder to shoppers to be extra
vigilant when buying what they might assume is fake fur – animals are dying
for shoppers to know the difference.”
Photos: PETA and Humane Society International