A List of Fur-Free Luxury Fashion Designers to Shop From
In recent months, a growing number luxury fashion houses like Gucci and Michael Kors have announced a commitment to more ethical fashion practices. On Friday, Maison Margiela shared that after designer John Galliano's meeting with PETA, the brand would go fur free, joining the ranks of brands like Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Tommy Hilfiger and more who have long eliminated fur from their collections.
This new wave of major brands championing sustainable fashion marks a great leap forward for fashion, so for consumers looking to shop more consciously and fur-free, we've compiled a list of designers who have joined in on the movement.
Coach
Coach announced October 23, 2018 that the brand has adopted a 100 percent fur-free policy, tapping the Humane Society of the United States to educate its lead executives for a cruelty-free future. The Humane Society's CEO and president, Kitty Block took to her personal blog to express her joy over the initiative, writing, “The announcement today from a brand as iconic as Coach is the latest indication that fur is just not fashionable. The fur trade kills more than 100 million animals each year, with animals used for fur either trapped in the wild, where they remain in cruel leghold traps for days without food or water, or raised in cramped cages for their entire lives and then killed by electrocution or gassing. Consumers worldwide are saying no to all of that and fashion leaders are following.”
DVF
Diane Von Furstenberg is one of the latest fashion houses to go 100 percent fur-free. The brand announced in early October 2018 that it has partnered with PETA to cease production of fur, exotic skins, mohair, and angora in all of its upcoming collections. I am so excited that technology has provided us a way to feel as glamorous with faux fur,” DVF chairwoman Diane von Furstenberg said in a press release, adding that the decision to go fur-free is part of a larger-scale project to create a more sustainable fashion industry."
Gucci
Last October, Gucci committed to stop using fur material in their collections, starting with the spring/summer 2018 collection and beyond. "Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals," Gucci president and chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri said in a statement. "With the help of HSUS and LAV, Gucci is excited to take this next step and hopes it will help inspire innovation and raise awareness, changing the luxury fashion industry for the better.”
Michael Kors
Just in time for Christmas, Michael Kors revealed that the brand will ban all use of fur and pledged to be completely fur-free by the end of 2018.
Jimmy Choo
Michael Kors' fur-free pledge applied to Jimmy Choo as well, which was acquired by Michael Kors in a $1.2 billion deal in July 2017.
Donatella Versace
In March 2017, Donatella Versace told 1843 magazine that her namesake brand will stop using fur by 2019. Why? "Fur? I am out of that. I don’t want to kill animals to make fashion. It doesn’t feel right."
Donna Karan/ DKNY
Donna Karan committed to promoting a cruelty-free brand earlier in March and the policy will go into effect by 2019.
Maison Margiela
Maison Margiela creative director John Galliano had a meeting with PETA, which resulted in Galliano's addition to the swelling number of high-end fashion labels opting against the use of fur in future collections.
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein has been fur-free since 1994.
Stella McCartney
Since the brand's conception in 2001, Stella McCartney has made it her duty to create a leather-free, fur-free clothing brand.
Tommy Hilfiger
2007 was the year many brands made the switch to go fur-free. Hilfiger used fur mostly on the collars and cuffs of his pieces and after a conversation with PETA, announced that any further production of fur items would end immediately.
Giorgio Armani
After teaming up with the Humane Society of the United States, Giorgio Armani and the seven other labels under the Armani Group would no longer produce clothing pieces with fur beginning with the Fall 2016 collection. "Technological progress made over the years allows us to have valid alternatives at our disposition that render the use of cruel practices unnecessary as regards animals," the brand said in a statement to WWD. "Pursuing the positive process undertaken long ago, my company is now taking a major step ahead, reflecting our attention to the critical issues of protecting and caring for the environment and animals."
Yoox Net-a-Porter
The Humane Society of the United States has buit relationships with a number of designer companies and encouraged many designers to ban fur from their lines. Yoox Net-a-Porter finally caved and announced in June 2017 that the company's clothing brands (Mr. Porter, The Outnet, Net-a-Porter) would be officially going fur-free.
Ralph Lauren
In 2006, Ralph Lauren pledged to eliminate fur altogether, including all merchandise and home offerings. In addition to going fur-free, the brand announced it would donated 1,200 clothing pieces with fur to international relief initiatives.
Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood joined the club in 2007 after a chat with PETA.
The Kooples
PETA encouraged cult brand The Kooples to adopt a more cruelty-free approach so The Kooples dropped fur from their future collections, beginning with the fall 2017 range and created a clutch in honor of their new policy.
Hugo Boss
A year after having a talk with The Humane Society of the United States, Hugo Boss vowed to stop using fur by its fall 2016 collection.