Chanel Will Stop Using Fur, Crocodile, and Other Exotic Skins
[MUSIC] And Lady D, as they insist on calling her, the her fashions, today a compliment, this was Chanel. [MUSIC] [MUSIC]
Chanel just took a stand before its Metiers d'Art show at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art. According to WWD, the storied French fashion house released a statement regarding its use of exotic skins. From now on, the house that Coco built will no longer use crocodile, lizard, snake, and stingray skins. Additionally, in place of certain leathers and fabrics, Chanel will use materials culled from the "agri-food" industry, lessening the impact it has on the environment.
Chanel will "no longer use exotic skins in our future creations," Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel's president of fashion, told WWD. The brand had already been limiting its use of fur, W Magazine notes. Karl Lagerfeld, the current designer at Chanel, is known for his furry creations at other lines, such as Fendi. At Chanel, a brand known for luxurious leather bags and tweed, there's been less of a focus on fur, but the brand's exotic-skin bags have always been an editorial favorite.
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"It is our experience that it is becoming increasingly difficult to source exotic skins," the brand said in a statement, WWD reports. Chanel adds that instead of sourcing exotic skins, it will be developing "a new generation of high-end products." There's no word on exactly what those high-tech products will be, but knowing Chanel, shoppers can expect the best of the best.
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Chanel joins a slew of other fashion labels in abolishing fur from their collections. In recent years, Gucci, Versace, and Burberry have all stopped using fur. Tom Ford notes that he won't stop using fur until more environmentally friendly alternatives are available. He uses "food byproducts," like leather and shearling, but W notes that many fur alternatives aren't biodegradable. And, since they're seen as more disposable than real fur, shoppers are more prone to tossing them out. With a Chanel label attached, we're guessing Lagerfeld's faux furs won't have the same short shelf life.
