Victoria Beckham has been urged to ban animal leather from her clothing collections, days after her latest show at Paris Fashion Week was disrupted by animal rights protesters.
The former Spice Girl presented her autumn-winter women’s fashion range in the French capital on Friday with transparent dresses, boxy blazers and sculpted silhouettes.
But the show was overshadowed after protesters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stormed the catwalk to promote the use of vegan leather.
The organization has since written to Beckham, 49, who previously banned exotic and animal skins from his collections, asking him to share a graphic video asking viewers to open their eyes to the cruelty of the leather trade.
The group hopes the gesture inspires the designer, a mother of four, to show compassion to her fellow mothers by ending the use of leather, which results from separating mothers from their babies.
Victoria Beckham has been urged to ban animal leather from her clothing collections, days after her latest show at Paris Fashion Week was disrupted by animal rights protesters.
The former Spice Girl’s autumn-winter womenswear presentation was overshadowed after protesters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stormed the catwalk.
The organization has since written to Beckham asking him to share a graphic video that asks viewers to open their eyes to the cruelty of the leather trade.
“Revelations from PETA entities have shown that animal leather is always the product of extreme violence, no matter where it comes from,” writes PETA vice president of corporate projects Yvonne Taylor.
‘Much of the fur used for “luxury” fashion comes from calves that were torn from their mothers within hours of being born.
‘As you know, a mother’s instinct to protect her babies is intense. Just like us, cows share a strong, loving bond with their calves, and no bag or jacket can justify the trauma of separation they endure or the horror of the slaughterhouse.
‘Taking a stance against leather would not only be a compassionate choice but would also make your collections more sustainable, a move that is desperately needed if we have any hope of tackling the climate catastrophe for our children and yours.
“Industry studies have identified that cowhide is the most environmentally damaging fashion material, with more than 90% of its impact occurring before the hides even reach the tannery.”
With its letter, PETA sent samples of innovative plant-based leathers, including those made from cactus, olive and grapes, as well as the Mirum plastic-free plant-based leather, urging the fashion icon to use animal- and planet-friendly materials in the future. . collections.
“Conscious consumers are increasingly looking for planet-friendly fashion that is not the product of animal cruelty,” adds Taylor.
‘We sent you samples of some of the beautiful and innovative plant-based leathers available today (made from cactus, olive, grapes and other plant fibers), including the all-natural vegan leather, Mirum.
The ‘Blood Bath’ video shows the cruelty and violence that animals suffer for the sake of fashion
The former Spice Girl presented her autumn-winter women’s range of transparent dresses, boxy blazers and sculpted silhouettes on Friday in the French capital.
“She has already led the way in banning exotic skins and we hope she continues to be a positive influence on the fashion industry by extending that same kindness to cows and calves by removing leather from her future collections.”
PETA activists stood up during their final show and walked the runway alongside models while holding signs that read “long live vegan leather.”
Their t-shirts read: ‘Animals are not fabric. Turn your back on animal skins.’
The organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) said that while Beckham’s brand has banned the use of exotic skins, it “still uses a large amount of cruelly obtained leather, particularly calfskin.”
The non-profit organization said it had also hit the runways of Coach in New York, Burberry in London and Fendi in Milan this season.
The charity’s president for Europe, Mimi Bekhechi, said: “No piece of clothing or accessory is worth violently slaughtering and skinning a sensitive and intelligent animal.”
“We urge Victoria Beckham to turn to the ethical and eco-friendly innovations available today, such as high-quality leather made from apples, grapes, pineapples, mushrooms and more.”