A growing list of fashion icons have sworn off fur, from Carla Bruni and Michelle Obama to Pink and Lady Gaga. But times have changed since the early 1990s, when supermodels such as Naomi Campbell declared they would rather go naked than wear fur.
Now Campbell fronts a campaign for the furrier Dennis Basso – and campaigners admit that, on the catwalk and the high street, the trend is hotter than it has been for years.
Fur coats made an appearance during the New York, London and Milan fashion weeks. Karl Lagerfeld covered motorcycle helmets with mink and chinchilla. Dolce & Gabbana added bright pink fur sleeves to jackets. Fur also featured prominently in the collections of Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Prada.
Last month French Vogue featured the Brazilian supermodel Raquel Zimmermann in a flurry of fur. Keira Knightley attended an awards ceremony in a karakul lambskin coat and Jennifer Lopez makes no secret of her fondness for mink and chinchilla.
Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue, is unapologetically pro-fur, running positive editorials and fur-themed photo shoots. “Fur is still part of fashion,” Wintour said this year, “so Vogue will continue to report on it.”
Celebrities’ enthusiasm for fur has seen sales rocket. In 2007, fur sales worldwide totalled $16.5bn, up by 11% on the previous year, following nine years of continuous growth. Last year the fur trade contributed $21bn to the global economy.
Campaigners admit they are concerned that the industry is winning its fight to redefine fur as something worn by chic, edgy kids rather than the sort of moth-eaten, fusty choice made by traditional grandmothers.
“Young people are more comfortable showing their love of fur,” said Mathews. “Hopefully, our Worst Dressed Award will wake these cold-hearted celebs up to the truth about fur.”
From The Guardian
