On Friday, Michael Kors announced that the company will no longer use animal fur in its products, and those items in production now, will be phased out by the end of December 2018. Designer Michael Kors said: “Due to technological advances in fabrications, we now have the ability to create a luxe aesthetic using non-animal fur. We will showcase these new techniques in our upcoming runway show in February.” The decision comes after Gucci decided to go fur-free in October, redefining old-world luxury staples we tend to associate with high-end fashion.
Michael Kors joined the initiative after a meeting with PETA, who has frequently protested Kors' catwalk shows and storefronts. The announcement comes as a surprise, as fur has always been a big part of Kors' brand identity. His AW17 collection featured fur in 12 out of 67 looks, in a variety of cuts and colours, including fur chubbies, boleros, and maxi coats.
The policy will also include the Jimmy Choo brand, which was acquired by Michael Kors Holdings earlier this year. Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo are now part of a growing list of brands and retailers that have made a commitment to being fur-free, including the aforementioned Gucci, Stella McCartney –— whose Veganism has been reflected in her collection since the beginnings — Hugo Boss, Armani, and YOOX Net-A-Porter.
“This is a wonderful holiday gift for fur-bearing animals,” Dan Mathews, PETA Senior Vice President, who met with Michael Kors CEO John Idol on Friday in his New York office, said in a statement. "We’re pleased that the company is evolving away from using fur and look forward to working with Michael Kors on other issues in the future.” As issues of sustainability move to the forefront of the industry, it's great to see that more and more brands are willing to get involved in order to truly enact positive change.
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