It now seems official: Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga have banned fur from their production, joining Gucci and Bottega Veneta. Kering, owner of the two luxury brands, announced this in its 2020 Universal registration document, which states: "Most of the group's houses do not use fur. Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen have also banned it from their collections." Driving this direction is also a growing awareness among the public of animal welfare and the environmental impact of intensive farming, which is reflected in a decline in demand.

A clear message

François-Henri Pinault's group spent ten years working in tandem with the Humane society international and the Humane society of the United States, organisations that campaign for animal protection, to achieve the goal of going fur-free. "Every time a major fashion name like Alexander McQueen or Balenciaga drops fur, it sends a clear message: animal fur has no place in modern society," says Kitty Block, chief executive of the animal rights organisation. The decision comes as further proof that consumer interest is increasingly turning towards sustainability-related issues: public opinion is moving away from fur and towards alternative solutions that look to innovative materials with a low environmental impact.

The brands that have dropped fur

The now lengthy list of brands that have chosen to uphold animal rights includes Armani, Versace, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Chanel, Dkny and Burberry. Bottega Veneta, also owned by Kering, has been fur-free for almost two decades. Since 2018, fur has disappeared from Gucci's collections too, with the brand joining the Fur free alliance, an international coalition of more than 50 organisations fighting for this cause. Only two brands within the French group have yet to announce fur-free policies: Brioni and Saint-Laurent.