Donatella Versace has
said her family’s luxury fashion label will no longer use real furs in its
products, according to an interview with a British magazine. The Italian fashion queen and
Versace’s creative director told The Economist’s 1843 magazine that it would
stop the practice, without providing further details on the change.
“Fur? I am out of that,” Versace said. “I
don’t want to kill animals to make fashion. “It doesn’t feel right.”
Versace’s headquarters in Milan,
Italy, could not be reached for comment on Wednesday night. 1843 noted the announcement was
such a “volte-face” that at the time of the magazine writing its article, which
was published online Wednesday, Versace’s website was still urging customers to
buy “fur-embellished coats that turn heads”.
Versace had previously resisted
pressure to join a host of other fashion brands, including Armani, Calvin
Klein, Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren which had all already ditched furs from their
collections.
The luxury label has historically
included lots of furs across its ranges, from a variety of species including
mink and raccoon dog, according to the Humane Society International (HSI),
which campaigns globally for an end to the fur trade. It noted Versace’s autumn-winter
2017 collection included laser-cut mink and fox coats.
“Versace is a massively
influential luxury brand that symbolises excess and glamour, and so its
decision to stop using fur shows that compassionate fashion has never been more
on trend,” said Claire Bass, executive director of HSI’s UK arm. However, the International Fur
Federation said it was “disappointed” by the decision.
“The majority of top designers
will continue to work with fur as they know it is a natural product that is
produced responsibly,” said its CEO, Mark Oaten. “With growing concern about
the environment and plastics in fashion, I truly believe fur is the natural and
responsible choice for designers and consumers.”
Source: Guardian