The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
The British luxury brand confirmed it would no longer use exotic leathers in future collections during its FY22 earnings call Wednesday.
Burberry had previously banned the use of real fur in September 2018, but its animal welfare policy suggests it still sources exotic skins like python, water snake and alligator.
The move to drop these materials comes amid mounting pressure from animal rights activists, after decades-long campaigns to ban fur have been largely successful. Luxury players who have already banned exotic skins include Chanel in December 2018 and, more recently, e-tailer Moda Operandi in April this year.
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Could Exotic Skins Go the Same Way as Fur?
While some companies have denounced the use of crocodile, snake and ostrich skins to make high-end leather goods, others are doubling down on the product category.
Over the last decade, the industry has ratcheted up its spending on lobbying efforts in the US. Now, emerging sustainability regulations are drawing increased attention.
How to best spend the large sums it will take to cut the fashion industry’s carbon emissions? The Apparel Impact Institute is launching a pre-vetted portfolio of climate solutions in an effort to better direct investment.
The brand’s hyperrealistic (but fake) animal heads sparked outrage this week, highlighting the increasingly delicate balance brands must strike between provocative marketing and shifting consumer values.
Shifting weather patterns are making shopping behaviour harder to predict, adding to inventory management challenges for brands and retailers.