Prada to Stop Using Fur in Collections from 2019

Miuccia Prada announced that starting from the second half of 2019, Prada will no longer use fur in its collections. The decision was made in dialogue with Fur Free Alliance, a group of over 50 organizations in more than 40 countries. Prada joins a growing list of luxury brands that have banned fur, including Giorgio Armani, Versace, Burberry, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Stella McCartney, and Vivienne Westwood. The move reflects a shift in consumer sensitivity, particularly among Millennials and younger generations, towards environmental and ethical issues. Prada stated that research and development of alternative materials will allow the company to explore new frontiers of creativity. The announcement was praised by The Humane Society of the United States. The article also traces the history of anti-fur campaigns, including PETA's iconic 1994 photo of five top models (Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Heather Stewart Whyte, Fabienne Terwinghe, and Emma Sjöberg) photographed nude by Patrick Demarchelier, and earlier campaigns featuring Christy Turlington, Pink, Elisabetta Canalis, Gillian Anderson, and Ireland Basinger-Baldwin. The fur industry has deep roots in New York, where the city's official seal features two beavers, referencing the historic fur trade. The article questions the future of Fendi, whose core business is fur, especially after Karl Lagerfeld's defense of the material against attacks from Brigitte Bardot.