Internationally renowned fashion brand, Chanel recently announced that it ban fur and exotic skins from its collections in order to “maintain the ethical standards and following pressure from animal rights campaigners”.
According to CNN, the fashion house will stop producing products made from animal fur, as well as leathery skins such as crocodile, lizard and snake.
A spokeswoman for Chanel told CNN that the decision was taken partly because it is not possible to obtain such products which meet the company’s principles.
She further confirmed that the new policy also applies to fur, adding that this decision provides “an opportunity to create a new generation of high-end products.”
The move has been welcomed as a campaign victory by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), whose motto is, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear.”
PETA believes there is no longer a compelling argument for using animal products, as “advancements in textiles have made faux fur and vegan leather nearly indistinguishable from animal pelts and skins.”
Chanel’s Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld during a former role at Fendi introduced the use of skins such as mole, rabbit, and squirrel pelts into his designs.
Following the announcement Chanel has joined other fashion brands like Gucci, Armani, Vivienne Westwood, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren in adapting the fur-free policy.
