Valentino tosses out real fur

2 mins read

Fashion company Valentino became the latest addition to the fur-free designers, in an effort that was received by the campaigners in Italy as “nail in the coffin for the cruel fur trade”.

The company, which is under the Qatari investment entity Mayhoola, stated that it will abandon the production at Valentino Polar by the end of 2021. AFP reports said its last collection that will feature fur will be in the fall/winter 2021-22 season.

The decision was done over the rising consumer sensitivity towards animal rights and environmental concerns. In a statement, Valentino’s chief executive officer Jacopo Venturini said: “The fur-free stance is perfectly in line with the values of our company.”

“We are moving full-steam ahead in the research for alternative materials in view of a greater attention to the environment for the upcoming collections.”

Valentino joined the fur-free club, which also scrapped including animal fur in its items, like Prada, Gucci, and Armani.

The company’s move “is a major nail in the coffin for the cruel fur trade,” said Italy director for campaign group Humane Society International, Martina Pluda.

“Like so many other designers, Valentino knows that using fur makes brands look outdated and out of touch, and fur industry certification schemes are little more than the hollow PR spin of an industry that kills 100 million animals for fur a year,” the director said.

In a report by Reuters, Venturini also moved to halt its collections for its junior label REDValentino. Venturino has united with Valentino in 2020 amid the impact by the pandemic to the goods business.

“The concentration on one, and only one brand, will better support a more organic growth of the Maison”, according to the former Gucci executive.