News | The Weekly Edit 3.24.18

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China's Fur Capital Touts Itself to World Even if Fur's Out at Versace and Other Leading Fashion Houses - South China Morning Post

Image via The Daily Top

• The image above of bunnies is not from the linked article. Honestly I couldn't include pictures, as seemingly benign as they are, from an article which promotes the fur trade. You can see them when you read the article  

• EDITOR'S NOTE:  In case you are scared to click through, the pictures in the article are not gory or illustrative in any way, shape, or form of the horrors of animal cruelty.

• My Confession:  I think its known by now where I stand on fur. I hate it. I hate that I wear leather and I hate that I have a weakness for burgers even after spending 16 years of my life as a (mostly) vegetarian. I hated it when I would walk through of halls of Coach and see rooms and rails fur of leather skins. I used to count to myself how many dead animals each rack would amount to. I'm trying not to be preachy lest anyone call me a hypocrite. We human beings are complicated. I'm not trying to hide my own transgressions but for now, I can at least definitely, comfortably say no to fur. It's a step in the right direction.

• So with all that out of the way let me sociologically make the case that fur represents everything the #MeToo and #TimesUp revolution is fighting against. To me, fur conjures up images of a 1950's housewife who receives a mink coat by her hard-working husband for being a dutiful housemaid. A fur coat was a symbol of status; an item imbued with a level of achievement and financial standing in a rising middle-class society. But note, women never bought the fur for themselves. It wasn't a symbol of HER hard work. It was a symbol her husband's. One could make the case that a fur coat then was more a symbol of oppression rather than one of reward. Too much of a reach? Maybe. I just hate fur.

• Here's a list of fashion houses and retailers that have gone #FurFree.  Some have always been on the list, some recently joined:

LUXURY DESIGNERS:

1. Armani
2. Botega Venetta
3. Calvin Klein
4. Donna Karan - Just announced as I write this list. DK is now owned by G-III Apparel. As of now, this is the only brand in G-III's portfolio which has pledged to go Fur Free 
5. Gucci *recently announced
6. Hugo Boss
7. Kate Spade
8. Lacoste
9. Michael Kors *recently announced
10. Ralph Lauren
11. Stella McCartney *also leather free
12. Tommy Hilfiger
13. Vivienne Westwood
14. Versace *recently announced  

BRANDS/RETAILERS:

1. Henri Bendel (which is owned by Limited Brands which owns VS)
2. Lulemon
3. Net-A-Porter
4. Nike
5. Patagonia *of course!
6. The North Face
7. Victoria's Secret
8. Yoox 

• Many vertical retailers and non-luxury brands such as ASOS, Gap, H&M, Top Shop, Urban Outfitters, and Zara have always been fur-free because of price restrictions.

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San Francisco Becomes Largest US City to Ban Fur - The New York Times

Sorry Girls!  You'll have to find other ways to be fabulous.

Image from SAGA Furs Website
(have to give credit unfortunately)

• Companion piece to the above which simply reports the news of this groundbreaking decision. It will be interesting to see if other cities follow suit.

• If you still like the look of furry coats, check this video out from YouTube.  I've discussed the double-edge sword with faux fur and its effects on the environment but you have to go through the middle to get the end. Baby steps are better than no steps.

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