Marc Jacobs has confirmed it will stop using exotic animal skins including crocodile, lizard, ostrich, snake, and others in its collections.
Fashion brand Marc Jacobs has joined a long line of luxury design houses that have banned the use of exotic skins.
Among them, are Burberry, Chanel, Carolina Herrera, Diane von Furstenberg, Jean Paul Gaultier, Karl Lagerfeld, Nordstrom, Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham, and Vivienne Westwood.
It comes after vegan charity PETA US shared exposés on the exotic skin industry.
According to the organisation, its footage documents the ‘appalling conditions that reptiles and other animals used by the fashion industry are forced to endure before they’re electroshocked, bludgeoned, or even skinned alive’.
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Campaign to end exotic skins in fashion
PETA has described the move by Marc Jacobs to ditch exotic skins as ‘excellent news‘ for animals.
In a statement, the charity said: “Behind every ostrich- or reptile-skin handbag was an individual who endured a life of pain and misery and was forced to live in filth before being hacked to bits.
“Multiple investigations by PETA entities have exposed how workers in the fashion industry inflate live snakes, bash them on the head with hammers, and cut them with razors.
“[They] hack at crocodiles’ necks and shove metal rods into their heads; chop off conscious lizards’ heads with machetes; and electrically stun ostriches before slitting their throats in full view of their terrified flock mates.”
It added that it ‘applauds Marc Jacobs for doing the right thing‘, and calls on all designers to do the same.
As part of its campaign to stop brands using the skins of animals like snakes and crocodiles, among other, PETA is asking supporters to contact Louis Vuitton, Prada, Hermes and Gucci and ask them to follow in the footsteps of Marc Jacobs.
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Featured photo © photo-lime via Adobe Stock, edited by VFL
