Prada Goes Fur-Free
Fashion

Prada Goes Fur-Free

The Italian brand won't produce fur from spring 2020 on.

From its upcoming spring 2020 collections on, Prada has announced it will no longer use fur in its designs. In fact, the announcement affects all brands under Prada Group, which owns Prada, Miu Miu, Church's and Car Shoe.

The new fur ban is reportedly part of the Italian house's commitment to design innovation and social responsibility. Prada is the latest major label to end its use of fur, which has become more controversial as animal rights activists have demanded fashion become more ethical in its sourcing of materials.

This decision puts them in line with brands including Tom Ford, Gucci, Chanel, Burberry, John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace, and Coach. Notably, Prada's men's runway show in Milan for its fall 2019 collection, which was inspired by Frankenstein, featured a range of bright, fur-trimmed clothing and accessories. Judging by that, it seemed that Prada wouldn't adopt fur-free ethics anytime soon.

But now, Prada claims it will be selling its remaining fur-based material until it is gone, rather than burning it or using other harmful waste-reduction tactics. The brand is aligned with the Fur Free Alliance, an international coalition of over 40 animal protection organizations working to end animal cruelty in the fur industry.

"The Prada Group is committed to innovation and social responsibility, and our fur-free policy — reached following a positive dialogue with the Fur Free Alliance, in particular with LAV and the Humane Society of the United States — is an extension of that engagement," said Creative Director Miuccia Prada in a statement. "Focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products."

Brigit Oele, program manager for Fur Free Alliance, said that Prada Group is one of the fastest companies to go fur-free since discussions about the move began over a year ago. Prada is part of the Alliance's Fur Free Retailer Program, which includes 1,000 companies. "It's showing that this global movement is gaining momentum fast, and it's very unlikely that fur will ever return as an acceptable trend," Oele said. "This is a great day for animals!"

Photo via Imaxtree

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