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Italian designer Donatella Versace, who is creative director of fashion brand Versace, has announced that she no longer feels comfortable with the concept of using real fur.
Italian designer Donatella Versace, creative director of fashion brand Versace, has announced that she no longer feels comfortable with the concept of using real fur in an interview with The Economist’s 1843 magazine.
The fashion queen and Versace’s creative director said that the brand would stop using fur in their designs, but did not provide 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.”
However, the luxury label, which has been using fur in its collections since its launch in 1978, has featured fur products in its collections as recently as autumn/winter 2018, which debuted at Milan Fashion Week in February.
In fact, 1843 magazine noted her announcement was such a “volte-face” that at the time of the magazine writing its article with the designer, Versace’s website was still encouraging customers to buy “fur-embellished coats that turn heads”.
Fur-free fashion
Versace had previously resisted pressure to join a host of other fashion brands, including Armani, Gucci, Michael Kors and Tom Ford which had all already ditched furs from their collections.
Gucci revealed they would be going fur-free in October 2017, while Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo followed suit just two months later.
“Killing animals for fur is cruel and outdated,” Kitty Block, Humane Society International’s president, said at the time.
“It’s hugely exciting to see forward-looking fashion designers such as Michael Kors take fur out of their collections.
“It’s clear that consumer demand for ethical fashion includes a strong desire for an end to fur and so we are delighted to welcome Michael Kors as a fur-free leader in luxury fashion.”
