Armani's Fur Ruffling Feathers

International News, By Joal, 8th October, 2008

Giorgio Armani is a ‘liar, liar, pants on fire’ according to animal rights groups. Dressing babies in rabbit fur for his latest collection, the fashion king has made an animal rights faux pas.

‘Note to Armani,’ says the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal’s media release. ‘Rabbits are furry animals no different from dogs, cats, foxes, and minks.’ Protesting outside Armani’s Milan boutique, activists held placards with pictures of the Italian designer with a very unflattering Pinocchio nose.

The fall collection for the billion dollar fashion house includes fur coats for babies, floral-printed fur coats, fur-hemmed skirts, and fur-trimmed jackets. All of which are strange additions to the collection considering Armani’s comments to Time magazine last year: “I spoke with the people from PETA, and they showed me some materials that convinced me not to use fur.”

But the 34-year-old industry leading company released a statement saying Armani’s reputation remains untarnished despite the recent fur fashion revival.

Armani “decided to stop making products with animal fur, except for rabbit fur which derives from animals already destined as a food source. The use of fur in the house’s collection has always been extremely limited, in contrast to what happens at other fashion houses that make fur their core business,” read the company’s statement.

Activists are also targeting celebrity fans of the opulent label, asking the likes of Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Glenn Close to put pressure on their favoured designer for his recent lapse into using unfavourable materials. Cate Blanchett is another star who has been pressured, given that Armani is the patron of the Sydney Theatre Company, of which Cate is now co-artistic director.

Armani says contacting people ‘close to the fashion house’ was ‘the most reprehensible’ aspect of PETA’s campaign.

For those of you who think PETA are over-reacting, take a look at their Fur Educational Video below. But we warn you, it’s not for the squeamish.

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