Animals and Fashion?

Very often the topic of fashion and the lives and representation of animals are frequently interwoven with one another. This may be through designers’ use of animal prints or through the often-viewed-as unethical use of furs in the fashion industry. In either situation, animals feature in the fashion industry often and as the final article of this series, I wish to inform you on the ethics and history surrounding the involvement of animals in fashion.

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Historically, animal prints and furs were always viewed as exotic and, additionally, expensive. Only a small fraction of the population (frequently kings, queens, or aristocrats) could afford such garments and it seems that today there is (for some) a certain prestige surrounding furs; a fascination that has been prolonged since a more archaic society.

Unfortunately, Dolce and Gabbana is not the only well establish fashion house that still widely uses fur.

In contemporary luxury fashion, Dolce and Gabbana can be “accredited” for using fur frequently. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) claims that Dolce and Gabbana even went as far to use the fur of the genetically modified “Orylag” rabbit for a $675 iPhone 7 cover; a concept which I simply find ridiculous and unnecessary. As recently as 2015, Dolce and Gabbana have frequently been showcasing fur products on their exuberant runways, including fox-fur headphones (another laughably absurd notion).

Unfortunately, Dolce and Gabbana is not the only well establish fashion house that still widely uses fur. Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, and Dior are all still guilty, a fact that is surprising for the 21st century, which has experienced an undeniable rise in animal activism.

Despite all of this apparent doom and gloom, there is a more than a glimmer of hope for a fur-free fashion industry. An obvious advocate for a fur and leather-free fashion industry is, of course, Stella McCartney. Surprisingly, other large fashion labels such as Gucci, Versace, and Michael Kors are all fur-free, despite the seemingly high demand of fur among the customers of luxury brands.

The truth is that the recent love shown by large fashion labels is frankly both exemplary and admirable.

It seems as though fashion brands are finally seeing the need for an improvement in animal-ethics, but one important question must be answered. Is this focus on animals obscuring the still prevalent problems regarding human ethics in the fashion industry?

The truth is that the recent love shown by large fashion labels is frankly both exemplary and admirable. This shift in a somewhat inflexible and occasionally unyielding mindset is commendable, however as indicated by the lack of care shown by Dolce and Gabbana, change is still required in this field.

The fashion industry has at last reached a significant point in its history when the vision for a fur-free industry is no longer an elusive dream, but is achievable.

thanks for reading ;)