The fashion house Valentino has announced that it wants to put al I ban furs from its collections. From 2022 there will be no more bosses of clothing like that, a choice that follows the one already undertaken by other big names that have made the history of fashion. Fur-free has become a fundamental step and a sign of a change that has been going on for some time and that now also the Italian house has decided to undertake.
Valentino's choice for fur-free fashion
The first direct consequence of this choice is the abandonment of the Valentino Polar, the Milanese branch dedicated to furs. The fashion house's strategy is to become an environmentally friendly and animal-friendly luxury brand. Valentino's CEO, Jacopo Venturini, explained the choice of the house: “The fur-free choice is perfectly aligned with the values of our company. We are rapidly advancing in the search for different materials and with a view to greater attention to the environment for the collections of the coming years. The aesthetic vision of our creative director - combined with the artisanal spirit of workmanship and excellence in execution - harmonizes perfectly with new technologies and future goals".
Already during the 90s it is present a sharp decline in the sale of furs internationally, a clear sign of a new trend and a fashion that wants to be cruelty-free and sustainable. The turning point, however, came in 2019 with the first Vegan Fashion Week in history and with the claim "cruelty-free is the next luxury". Fabrics ban animal exploitation and respond to the demand for a more ethical market. A process that has pushed the great designers of the world and the "fast fashion" fashion houses to adopt the animal free policy. Before Valentino, they took this path Armani, Michael Kors, Stella McCartney, Prada, Gucci, Versace and Jimmy Choo. Among the "fast" fashion companies, however, are fur free Zara, Mango, H&M, The North Face, Asos, the Italian OVS and Carrera.
The latest collections with furs
The latest collection to include fur will be the Fall / Winter 2021-22. These are the words of the CEO: "The inputs to which customers, or our Friends of the House, are exposed every day are many. In such a scenario, the concentration of messages on one and only one brand will be able to support a more organic growth of the maison". The latest REDValentino label collection, which includes clothing and accessories, will instead be the Fall / Winter 2023-24 and the activities related to the business of the line will be suspended starting from 2024.
In the note announcing Valentino's new strategy, the company underlined that it is already in contact with the trade union representatives for the management of organizational issues and in compliance with the regulations in force in each country.
