W Magazine reports that both Prada and Miu Miu are collaborating with the Fur Free Alliance to go fur-free. From the Spring/Summer 2020 collections onward, the labels will no longer incorporate any animal fur into their designs or products of any kind.
In a statement released via the Alliance, Miuccia Prada said that “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 [a European animal rights organization] and the Humane Society of the United States – is an extension of that engagement.”
She added that “focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products.” And according to Simone Pavesi, the manager of the Animal Free Fashion Area for LAV, “the Prada Group’s decision to go fur-free is consistent with the new concept of ethical luxury and meets the expectations of new consumers who are more careful in choosing sustainable products that respect the environment and animals.”
Prada was the subject of an animal rights campaign last September. The Fur Free Alliance urged over forty animal rights organizations to flood the Prada Group with phone calls, emails, and social media posts urging the company to stop using fur. Prada responded with a statement highlighting their increase in the usage of sustainable and technical fabrics, and they promised to meet with animal rights activists.
The decision to go fur-free seems to be the result. With this new mandate, Prada and Miu Miu join a club of fur-free brands like Gucci, Burberry, Versace, Michael Kors, and Jimmy Choo, most of which have turned to faux-fur products. It remains to be seen how the rest of the fashion industry will respond.
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