Reuters
Chanel has become the first luxury fashion house in the world to stop using exotic animal skins, like snake, crocodile, lizard and stingray.
The company's head of fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, said it had become harder to source such pelts ethically.
He also included fur in the list, of which Chanel uses little.
Although Chanel's designer Karl Lagerfeld insisted the move was made independently, animals rights groups hailed the decision.
Peta said in an Instagram post "2018 is THE YEAR for designers coming out of the stone age".
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Mr Lagerfeld and Mr Pavlovsky spoke to industry publication Women's Wear Daily about the decision.
"We did it because it's in the air, but it's not an air people imposed to us," Mr Lagerfeld said, although he noted "there was not much fur" in Chanel's work to begin with.
Python skin bags were reportedly taken down from the Chanel site on Tuesday, but Mr Pavlovsky said it would take a while for existing products to leave their shops.
The company would now focus developing leather and other material from "agri-food" industries, he said.
Other luxury brands have also stopped using fur but campaigners hope they will follow Chanel in abandoning exotic skins.
I'm an enthusiast well-versed in the world of fashion, particularly with a focus on sustainable and ethical practices within the industry. My knowledge extends to the recent developments in luxury fashion, such as Chanel's groundbreaking decision to cease using exotic animal skins.
Chanel, under the leadership of its head of fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, has made history by becoming the first luxury fashion house to abandon the use of exotic animal skins, including those from snakes, crocodiles, lizards, and stingrays. This decision is rooted in ethical considerations, with Pavlovsky acknowledging the increasing difficulty of sourcing such pelts ethically.
Karl Lagerfeld, the renowned designer associated with Chanel, emphasized that the move was an independent decision, despite acknowledging that Chanel used relatively little fur in its designs. Animals rights groups, including Peta, celebrated the decision, marking it as a significant step forward in the fashion industry's ethical practices.
In a conversation with Women's Wear Daily, Lagerfeld and Pavlovsky explained that the decision was not imposed on them but rather a response to the prevailing ethical concerns in the industry. Lagerfeld mentioned that although fur was not a predominant element in Chanel's work, the decision to exclude it aligns with the evolving ethical standards within the fashion world.
As part of this transformative move, Chanel removed Python skin bags from its site, signaling a commitment to the decision. However, Pavlovsky noted that it would take some time for existing products with exotic animal skins to phase out of Chanel's shops.
Looking ahead, Chanel expressed its commitment to exploring alternatives by focusing on developing materials from "agri-food" industries. This shift aligns with the broader trend in the fashion industry towards sustainable and cruelty-free practices. While Chanel is the trailblazer in this regard, other luxury brands have also been urged to follow suit and abandon the use of fur and exotic skins.
In conclusion, Chanel's decision represents a significant milestone in the fashion industry's journey toward ethical and sustainable practices, and it sets a precedent for other luxury brands to reconsider their use of animal-derived materials.
