There were more fur coats on the runways of Peter Som, Prabal Gurung and Adam by Adam Lippes than in recent seasons. Alexander Wang had a leather trench coat with a strip of mink running entirely down the back.
PETA used to crash parties at Fashion Week, showing up to sling buckets of red paint at fur wearers or to sabotage runway shows. But during this year’s New York Fashion Week, PETA hosted a party of their own.
YES ! It's Faux !
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicked off, and compassionate fashion was celebrated at the PETA event held at Stella McCartney’s boutique in New York City.
“Project Runway” host Tim Gunn and actresses Taraji Henson and Olivia Munn have a “no fur” message for designers showing collections at New York Fashion Week.
“I’m on a campaign to get as many fashion designers as possible to stop using it,” said Gunn, chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne. “I’d just like to sit with them and have a talk and ask, ’Is it really necessary?’”
The three appeared at Stella McCartney’s boutique with representatives of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. McCartney is a longtime supporter of animal rights and doesn’t use leather or fur in her designs.
In 2010, Norway had taken one large step for small critters everywhere! Although the climate and culture of the country reflect fur in Fashion, Mote Mot Pels started an anti-fur initiative and won! With over 220 Norwegian Fashion industry insiders on their side refusing to work with fur, Oslo Fashion Week has banned any fur garments from their runways.
If Stella McCartney can work with PETA to convince and design a faux fur alternative to the bearskin caps worn by the Queen’s Guards at Buckingham Palace, surely designers that use fur for an entire coat, trimmings of a dress or a boot are able to develop a fiber they are happy with. After all, we are not cave people that need to hunt and forage to kill for our basic needs. We have evolved, at least I would like to think we have, but the runway has dampened my spirits.
