Following the takeover of those ubiquitous fur-lined backless loafers, Gucci is officially going fur-free, starting with its Spring 2018 collection.
The announcement was made by CEO Marco Bizarri today during the 2017 Kering Talk at The London College of Fashion. After working with The Humane Society of the U.S. and LAV (an Italian-based animal welfare group), Gucci's joining of the Fur Free Alliance ensures the brand will stop all use of animal fur including mink, coyote, raccoon dog, fox, rabbit, karakul, and all other species specially bred or caught for fur.
“Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals. 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," Bizarri said of the brand's decision.
Considering its many statement-making fur coats and staple fur-lined mules, the announcement is a pretty big move for the Italian fashion house. In the beginning of 2017, Gucci started inching towards this new stance by halting the use of Kangaroo fur in its Princetown loafer line, opting to use lamb's wool instead.
Gucci is just the latest luxury brand to ban the use of fur, following Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss, and Net-A-Porter. Considering its impact on not only the Kering group but the luxury fashion industry in general, this is probably just the first of many more brands to finally go fur-free.
Lauren Alexis Fisher is the Senior Editor at Cosmopolitan, overseeing digital content across fashion, lifestyle, beauty, sex, and culture. Previously, she was the Market Editor at Harper’s BAZAAR and has written for publications including WWD, Bustle, and W Magazine. When she’s not busy taste-testing her way through every dirty martini in New York, you can follow her on Instagram for bad jokes, good outfits, and annoying vacation pics.
