WHY SHOULD WE WEAR FAUX FUR?

WHY SHOULD WE WEAR FAUX FUR OVER THE REAL THING?

As the colder weather increases we find ourselves reaching for those fur coats which have been pushed to the backs of our wardrobes. My mauve cropped faux fur jacket is principle within my winter staple pieces which I bring out as the temperature drops, alongside my long black silky-feel fur coat whenever I want to feel more luxurious. Fur is constantly on trend and being projected along the runway, showcased by some of the most influential designers there are. Yet this influential status bears a lot of power, which brings up the issue that is should designers be openly promoting these products which have such a dark industry behind them?

The day I vowed to never purchase real fur was when a campaign by the animal rights organisation PETA caught my eye when I saw some extremely graphic clips of how fur is gathered from live animals, I was so disturbed that I vowed to make sure that whenever I decide to purchase fur, it must always be faux (I shall leave some links below). Recently in October under the pressures of campaigns undergone by organisations such as PETA, Gucci's chief executive officer, Marco Bizzarri vowed that in 2018 they aimed to discontinue the use of fur. This is following in the footsteps labels such as of Giorgio Armani and Hugo Boss, alongside Stella McCartney’s immensely popular brand which is notorious for being ethically focused as she rejects the use of leathers, furs and feathers and opts for a substitute instead.

So, what are the benefits of wearing faux fur over real fur?

Firstly, it’s distinctly a lot cheaper to purchase faux fur and with many options upon the high street it’s hard to turn it down. Here are a few of my favourite pieces currently.

Secondly, faux fur is a lot easier to maintain. Compared to the real thing, faux fur may look better after years of wear. Real fur, especially if it's been dyed, can fade or change colour whereas synthetic fibres are more resilient and can stand up to frequent wear.

And of course, you’re not supporting a problematic industry. Although it may seem little, you not supporting the industry is just one person in a growing wave of others trying to combat the issue of fur.

PETA CAMPAIGN: https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/fur/

Stella speaks out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pY2mATv26E