Of course, there are plenty of people who would disagree with this point of view – the folks at PETA, for one.  A PETA spokesperson told London’s Daily Telegraph that Lagerfeld is “a fashion dinosaur who is as out of step as his furs are out of style. The vast majority of fur these days comes not from hunters as he suggests, but from Chinese fur farms, where no law protects the millions of animals who are routinely beaten and skinned alive.”

So, who’s right?

The answer, of course is not straightforward. Perfectly intelligent people may disagree after having heard all the arguments because, on an issue like this, an individual’s point of view will ultimately depend on how they believe animals should or should not be treated, and how their skins and fur should or should not be used in clothing.

This is why I have found the approach of the aggressive protesters outside the Bryant Park tents, waving bloody photos and screaming at editors and buyers going to see the New York shows, to be pretty pointless. They may actually be doing a disservice to their cause by making it easier for people to dismiss their antics as those of the lunatic fringe.

On the other hand, I found this video by PETA, narrated by Tim Gunn of Project Runway fame, pretty arresting and thought-provoking. It made me think twice about how important it is to know where our clothes come from. It’s easier to ignore these issues when our fashions are made in faraway places without our awareness. But, when some of the visuals are thrust in your face and the logical arguments are presented, it’s a lot harder to turn a blind eye.

There are clearly different approaches for raising awareness of issues like the use of fur and leather in fashion, but the most effective methods are those that provoke intelligent discussion and debate.

This seems to be working. Yesterday, I received an email from Alexia Weeks, the Online Marketing Coordinator for PETA Europe, saying that as a result of this video and a personal appeal from Tim Gunn, Donna Karan has decided to drop fur from her collections, beginning with Autumn/Winter 2009.

Warning: Some of the images in the video are graphic and may turn some readers off, but then again, I guess that is the point.

December Consumer Confidence Approaches Six-Year Low (Seeking Alpha)
Amid bleak economic news, American consumer confidence continues to decline sharply.

In Poland, Style Comes Used and by the Pound (New York Times)
In Poland, “thrift stores here have become impromptu laboratories of the changing mores and attitudes in a country adjusting to newfound wealth.”

Disposable fashion: for sale, hardly worn: two million tonnes of clothes (Times UK)
The frequency of clothing purchases have have significantly accelerated in recent years and as a result, “textiles have become the fastest-growing waste product in the UK.”

Year in Fashion: Fashion Crisis (WWD)

This tumultuous year has illuminated the fact that the fashion system is broken.

Image courtesy of Pantagrapher.

LONDON, United Kingdom – Just a few years ago, the concept of Ethical Luxury was dismissed by major luxury brands. Products based on environmental concerns and fair trade principles were associated with hippies. Most fashion conscious cosmopolites wanted nothing to do with the Birkenstocks, baggy pants, and hemp T-shirts of the so-called green movement.

MILAN, Italy – A few months back, I published an article about the Made in Italy label, following damaging findings aired in a provocative Italian documentary on the state of luxury manufacturing in Italy.

In the meantime, there has been growing interest in the concept of ethical luxury, but some of the biggest manufacturers continue to flout the rules and standards.

Just yesterday, a new reader of the BoF named Lauren, provided detailed commentary on our previous article Made in Italy | Time for accountablity regarding the egregious behaviour of major Luxury brands which she has observed first hand. Her observations merit further discussion and debate, and so I have included them here.

As for this debate [on Made in Italy production], I am late in the discussion, but after having worked in production in Italy I have seen firsthand some very interesting things.

1. Chinese workers eating in 15 minute shifts in a Chinese restaurant in the factory town of Scandicci. They literally don’t speak and just shovel food into their mouths, leave the table after 15 minutes only to be replaced by the next shift. This happened three times while I was having dinner at one of the more authentic Chinese eateries around Florence.

Shocking? Yes! Makes me wonder what their living conditions are like…

2. Prada decamped to China for the production of the hardware on their accessories, only to return with their tails between their legs because the quality was shoddy enough to be noticeable to the end user.

Consequently, they are back with a phenomenal factory in Florence (Scandicci) that just spent millions on environmentally friendly practices, uses amazing technology and employs Italians at wages that honor their level of craftsmanship. Somehow this company has managed to retain a market niche (quality, innovation and reasonably competitive price points) and as a result they serve the best brands.

3. The rules for labeling something “made in Italy” are lax enough that shoe uppers, half-completed handbags, and many other parts can be shipped in from India, China, Romania to Italy where they are finally assembled and stamped with the coveted mark of Italian luxury.

Bottom line?

Just because it SAYS made in Italy doesn’t mean it is.

FYI: Lambertson Truex, Rickard Shah, Jimmy Choo. Those guys are paying true Italian craftsman to do their work. As for the other biggie brands? I wouldn’t bet on it.

 

Lauren’s comments make us consider whether Made in Italy really means what it used to, and perhaps if Made in China means what it used to, as well.

Just today a well-placed industry contact told me a story of how Armani (like Prada, and many, many other Italian labels) have set up shop in China either by buying up existing Chinese factories or setting up new factories in China, run by Italians — and apparently Armani’shave been more successful than anyone else.