Exotic Skins And Furs: Luxury Fashion’s Movement Towards Sustainability
In May 2022, Burberry was the latest luxury fashion retailer to swear off exotic skins from their collections, an incredible step forward following Burberry’s real fur ban in September 2018.
The movement away from exotic skins and furs has been led by animal rights activists advocating to ban animal pelts and skins since the 1980s.
However, the exotic skins and furs market was once and may still be highly coveted. In 1977, the U.S. surpassed $600 million in sales of furs and by the late 1980s, retail sales broke $1.9 billion.
THE EPITOME OF GLAMOUR
The history of wearing furs begins about 170,000 years ago when humans first wore coverings made of animal pelts and furs. Since then, furs have transformed into a symbol of wealth, high fashion and luxury.
European royalty in the 11th century often wore fur coats, capes and accessories made from chinchilla, mink and sable. Fur rose again in popularity during the Victorian era when the demand for these luxury furs led to fur farms in the 1870s. By the 1950s, furs became more affordable and commonplace as the American public spotted film stars wearing luxury furs both in movies and in their private lives.
By the 1960s, designers crafted faux fur coats, making furs more affordable than ever before.
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