The soon-to-be newest Mountbatten-Windsor royal family member Meghan Markle is already royalty to the animals. The actress and anti-fur advocate has reportedly had a hand in influencing iconic fashion brand Burberry to ditch fur.
In a statement to the Sunday Times, Burberry said: “We can confirm that we are currently reviewing our use of real fur … There wasn’t any real fur in Burberry’s September 2017 or February 2018 runway collections.”
The move also comes as a result of discussions with Humane Society International/UK, which have been ten years in the works, the nonprofit noted in a press release.
“HSI first met with Burberry almost a decade ago to urge the brand to drop fur, so we are delighted that this iconic British fashion giant is finally reviewing its fur policy. Burberry is famous for being a royal fashion favourite so Meghan Markel [sic], who is well-known for disliking fur, joining the family is sure to have made the quintessentially British brand look twice at its fur policy,” HSI Executive Director Claire Bass said in a statement. “Ditching fur would be the perfect fit for this brand-Britain fashion powerhouse so we strongly urge Burberry to embrace the compassionate trend.”
HSI notes that the label’s review of its fur policy comes just a month before British Parliament will debate implementing a nationwide fur ban. More than 425,000 Brits signed a petition urging Parliament to ban the sale of fur.
“Countless investigations, including on so-called high-welfare certified farms, have revealed appalling welfare issues including obesity, deformed feet, diseased eyes and even missing limbs,” Bass noted. “Burberry is very wise to be reviewing its use of real fur and we hope it reaches the same conclusion as the likes of Gucci, Michael Kors, DKNY and Versace, that real fur has no future in fashion.”
Earlier this year in the U.S., San Francisco became the nation’s largest city to ban the sale of fur products. And numerous designers, including Versace, Gucci, Tom Ford, and Donna Karan, have announced their move away from fur in their designs, opting for more humane and more sustainable textiles in their offerings.
Yesterday, celebrity Kim Kardashian, who’s been seen sporting animal fur on numerous occasions, said she’s done with it, “faux is my new thing,” she told her Snapchat followers.