The news broke during the Kering talk 2017 held at the London College of Fashion, when the President and CEO of the Gucci maison, Marco Bizzarri, declared fur an absolutely out-of-fashion accessory. "Do you think that using fur today is still modern? I don't think so, and that's why we have decided to no longer use it. It's a bit antiquated — creativity can come through in many other ways."

Fur will disappear from collections as early as 2018

As a consequence of the relationship established with the Lega antivivisezione (LAV) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) within the Fur free retailers programme, Gucci's decision will take effect from the 2018 collections and, more precisely, from the spring/summer collection presented during the latest Milan fashion week.

By officially joining the Fur free alliance alongside other well-known names such as Giorgio Armani, Stella McCartney, Hugo Boss, Yoox Net-a-porter and others, the Florentine maison commits to no longer using any fur from mink, fox, sable, karakul, rabbit, opossum or any other animal caught or bred in dedicated intensive farming facilities.

The restructuring of Gucci's policy

Gucci's turnaround on fur forms part of a much broader corporate plan aimed at transforming the brand into a more sustainable reality, both from an environmental and a social standpoint. "Being socially responsible is one of the primary objectives for Gucci," declared Marco Bizzarri, "and we will continue to strive to do our best for the environment and for animals. With the help of HSUS and LAV, Gucci is pleased to take this step and hopes to inspire innovation and raise awareness, changing the fashion industry for the better."

During the talk, the new sustainability plan Culture of purpose was also presented, which will see the maison commit over the next ten years to reducing its environmental impact by ensuring 95 per cent traceability of raw materials and a socially responsible management of the supply chain, meaning one free from gender discrimination. This is because inclusion and the valorisation of diversity are two very important values for Gucci, which, in collaboration with Unicef, has also launched the Girl's empowerment initiative with the aim of funding projects designed to promote women's access to education, healthcare and justice.

This represents a very significant change of direction for the brand which, under the artistic direction of designer Alessandro Michele, sets out to make innovation its primary mission, thereby opening the way to a more sustainable and modern model of fashion — one that should serve as inspiration for all those who remain tied to impactful practices that are by now outdated.