Victoria Beckham has been urged to ban animal leather from her clothing collections, days after her latest Paris Fashion Week presentation was stormed by animal rights protesters.
The former Spice Girl unveiled her autumn-winter womenswear collection of sheer dresses, boxy blazers and sculpted silhouettes in the French capital on Friday.
But the spectacle was put on hold after protesters from the 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 furs and animal skins from its 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 will inspire the designer, a mother of four, to extend compassion to fellow mothers by ending her use of leather, which comes from separating mothers from their babies.
Victoria Beckham has been urged to ban animal leather from her clothing collections, days after her latest Paris Fashion Week presentation was stormed by animal rights protesters
The autumn-winter presentation of the former Spice Girl’s women’s clothing was thrown into disarray after protesters from the 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 asking viewers to open their eyes to the cruelty of the leather trade.
“Exposés from PETA entities have shown that animal leather is always the product of extreme violence – no matter where it comes from,” wrote PETA Vice President of Corporate Projects Yvonne Taylor.
‘Much of the skin used for ‘luxury’ fashion comes from calves torn from their mothers just hours after birth.
‘As you know, a mother’s instinct to protect her babies is intense. Just like us, cows share a strong, loving bond with their young, and no handbag or coat can justify the trauma of separation they endure or the horror of the slaughterhouse.
‘Taking a stand against leather would not only be a compassionate choice, but also make your collections more sustainable, a step that is desperately needed if we have any hope of tackling the climate catastrophe for our children and theirs.
“Industry research has shown that cowhide is the most environmentally damaging material in fashion, with more than 90% of its impact happening before the hides even reach the tannery.”
With this letter, PETA sent samples of innovative plant-based leathers, including leathers made from cactus, olive and grape varieties, as well as the plastic-free plant leather Mirum, urging the fashion icon to use such animal- and planet-friendly materials in the future. collections.
“Conscious consumers are increasingly looking for planet-friendly fashion that is not the product of cruelty to animals,” Taylor adds.
‘We’ll send you samples of just some of the beautiful and innovative plant-based leathers available today – made from cactus, olive, grape and other plant-based fibers – including the all-natural vegan leather Mirum.
The video ‘Blood Bath’ shows the cruelty and violence that animals suffer for the sake of fashion
The former Spice Girl unveiled her fall-winter womenswear collection of sheer dresses, boxy blazers and sculpted silhouettes in the French capital on Friday
‘You’ve already led the way in banning fur and exotic skins, and we hope you’ll continue to make a positive impact in the fashion industry by extending that same kindness to cows and calves by removing leather from your future collections .’
PETA campaigners stood up at her final show and walked the catwalk alongside the models, holding up signs reading “viva vegan leather”.
Their T-shirts read: ‘Animals are not dust. Turn your back on animal skins.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) said that while Beckham’s brand has banned the use of fur and exotic skins, it “still uses a large amount of cruelly sourced leather, especially calfskin”.
The nonprofit said it also stormed the runways of Coach in New York, Burberry in London and Fendi in Milan this season.
The president of the non-profit organization for Europe, Mimi Bekhechi, said: ‘No article of clothing or accessory is worth forcibly slaughtering and skinning a sensitive and intelligent animal.
‘We urge Victoria Beckham to instead use the ethical and environmentally friendly innovations available today, such as high-quality leather made from apples, grapes, pineapples, mushrooms and more.’