Saks Fifth Avenue is joining a growing list of retailers and brands including Macy’s, Versace and Prada that will stop using animal fur as it reacts to a backlash from consumers. Saks Fifth Avenue issued a statement last Wednesday that it will phase out using fur by the end of fiscal 2022. That includes both brand partners and store-label merchandise sold online and in stores.
As part of the decision, Saks will eliminate the sale of products made from animals that were raised for the use of their fur or those made with fur from wild animals. Shearling, goatskin, cattle hide, down, feathers, leather and faux fur products will continue to be sold online and in stores.
The company said it also plans to close its fur salons by the end of January 2022. “Across the Saks Fifth Avenue experience, we evaluate a number of factors when making decisions about our assortment, including customer preferences and societal shifts,” said Tracy Margolies, chief merchandising officer at Saks, in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “We recognize that trends constantly evolve, and that the sale of fur remains a significant social issue.”
A shift by a major fur retailer is a portent of things to come. If retailers refuse to sell it, the demand will die out, and there will no longer be a need for the supply, so this is a monumental shift in the present and future of the fur industry. A more humane merchandising world will surely follow.
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