Guess Who’s Going Fur-Free
In a boon for animal-rights activists, Gucci announced that it will no longer use fur in its collections. The luxury giant’s president and CEO, Marco Bizzarri, shared the news today during the Kering Talk at the London College of Fashion. “Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values,” he said, “and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals.”
The move appears to have the blessing of Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele, who implemented the policy with his spring 2018 collection, shown weeks ago in Milan. While Gucci’s parent company, Kering, also owns influential brands Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, and the famously fur-free label Stella McCartney, Gucci accounts for more than half of the company’s luxury sales.
The decision has been eight years in the making, during which Gucci remained in talks with the Humane Society (HSUS) and the Italian-based animal welfare group LAV, both members of the Fur Free Alliance. The Humane Society’s president and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, estimates this to be the most important fur ban yet , saying, “Gucci’s decision…is good for business and animals alike. It’s the march of progress in the humane economy.”
