In the world of luxury fashion, it looks like Gucci has made the ultimate new year’s resolution.
Earlier this fall at a London College of Fashion event, Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri announced the the luxury fashion house would be ringing in the new year by joining the Fur Free Alliance. Starting with their Spring/Summer 2018 collection that was recently showcased at Milan Fashion week back in September, the major switch will completely eliminate the use of mink, fox, raccoon, or any other animal targeted by the fashion industry for their fur. Although the brand still carries a vast inventory of dramatic fur pieces in their possession, the luxury fashion house has decided to wipe a clean slate through means of philanthropy and auction off their remaining fur pieces, donating all of their proceeds to charity.
A Fresh Perspective in an Antiquated Industry
One of the major appeals to designer fashion is the element of timelessness – the idea that through generations of style fluidity, one can always count on those classic looks to prevail through the fluctuation of style trends. As time goes on however, the world changes, and so do popular views and perceptions. While fur tends to denote a level of status and unprecedented luxury, the idea that these pieces were created at the expense of an animal’s well being often collides with moral ethics. With more and more people looking to practice more environmentally-friendly buying behaviors, the idea of wearing real fur has become somewhat stylistically taboo.
Gucci decided that it was time for a shift in the fashion industry that aligned with that growing perspective. In a recent article from Vogue, Bizzarri opened up about the decision made to switch to more ethical manufacturing practices in saying, “Gucci is so visible, so well-known – we need to use that in a positive way.” He also notes that major technological advancements made in recent years are allowing the brand to continue to create without compromising their standard of luxury, making the need for fur nearly obsolete. While Gucci’s transition marks a crucial shift in the world of designer fashion, they are not the first major brand to embrace animal friendly initiatives. In fact, Gucci is the second brand amongst the Kering global luxury group to forgo fur, trailing behind it’s fully vegan sister company Stella McCartney.
Decisions Made With the Help of the Youth
“Young kids are more intelligent and more confident than us,” Bizzarri said in his lecture at the London College of Fashion where he made the shocking announcement. In making the final decision to part with fur, the CEO cites not only working closely with Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele, but also credits the help of a little youthful influence. It was also reported by Vogue that the CEO held several luncheon meetings with some of Gucci’s youngest team members to try to get a better understanding of the millennial mindset that seems to hold high value in social change in environmental preservation.
With 2018 literally right around the corner, we’re excited to see such positive change being made by one of our most beloved luxury brands. So for those of you that find yourself in the presence of inescapable guilt every time you try on a mink coat or pair of furry Princetown loafers, be on the lookout for a new and improved Gucci that is both fabulous..and animal friendly!
What are your thoughts on Gucci’s new year’s resolution? Do you have any resolutions of your own? Share with us in the comments!
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