Fashion powerhouse Prada is going fur-free.
Prada announced today that all collections starting with women’s spring/summer 2020 will not use fur. The luxury Italian fashion label worked closely with nonprofit organizations the Humane Society International, Fur Free Alliance, and Italian animal rights group, LAV. Prada previously used fur from foxes, minks, and rabbits in its collections.
“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,” Prada head designer Miuccia Prada said in a statement, hinting that the label may launch faux fur. “Focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products.”
Prada’s subsidiary Miu Miu, launched by Miuccia in 1993, will also be fur-free from its spring/summer 2020 women’s collection.
Founded in 1913 by Miuccia’s grandfather Mario Prada, the fashion house is considered one of the biggest and most influential names in the industry. Prada has a number of celebrity fans, including “Captain Marvel” star Brie Larson, Jeff Goldblum, Elle Fanning, Milla Jovovitch, Dua Lipa, Regina King, and Amy Adams. Georgia May Jaggar, daughter of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and model Jerry Hall, worked with Miu Miu for the launch of its new capsule collection earlier this month.
“Prada Group’s historic announcement to go fur-free comes at a time when an unprecedented number of designers are turning their backs on the cruel fur trade and are fronting fashion based on fabric innovation instead of animal exploitation,” said Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International. “Anti-fur policies like Prada Groups’s prove that forgoing fur isn’t a fast-fashion trend, it’s a step change to meet the demands of ever more socially and environmentally conscious consumers.”
Fashion Turns Its Back on Fur
Prada joins a number of other top labels in banning fur from its collections, including Gucci, Versace, Burberry, Diane von Furstenberg, Chanel, and Donna Karan.
Legislation is also helping drive the conversation surrounding fur’s cruelty toward animals. California and New York have both introduced bills to ban the sale of fur.
While in the past, faux fur was considered lesser than the real thing, luxury fashion is slowly embracing the ethical alternative. Vegan NYC-based fashion label House of Fluff specializes in plush, high-end faux fur clothes. Australian vegan brand Unreal Fur also specializes in cruelty-free “fur” fashion. English designer Stella McCartney has been committed to being fur-free since launching in 2001.
