The world of fashion has given a new signal of change. The Condé Nast publishing group, responsible for some of the most influential voices in the sector – including Vogue, Glamour, GQ and Vanity Fair – has officially announced the adoption of a fur-free policy.
The announcement, made public through the company’s sustainability website, marks a clear departure from a practice long considered a symbol of luxury and style. The move by one of the most authoritative voices in the publishing world deals a significant blow to the fur industry.
What changes
Condé Nast’s new fur-free policy establishes an explicit ban on the use of new fur. This ban applies without distinction to all editorial and advertising content managed by the group. However, the policy provides specific exceptions, which only concern second-hand (used) furs and furs considered by-products of indigenous practices.
The initiative of the group, which operates on an international scale, aligns with an increasingly marked global trend involving cities, states and countries that have already banned the sale, import and production of fur.
The reaction of the animal rights world
Humane World for Animals, formerly known as Humane Society International in Italy, welcomed Condé Nast’s decision. The organisation, active in over 50 countries against the most deep-rooted forms of animal suffering, recognizes the decisive role of the editorial group in defining fashion trends.
PJ Smith, director of Fashion Policy for Humane World for Animals, commented on the significance of this choice, underlining the power of influence of the publications involved:
Vogue and Condé Nast have always dictated what is trendy and what is not, influencing designers, retailers, consumers, and helping to define the cyclical nature of fashion. When an authoritative voice like Vogue says that fur is out of fashion, it opens the way to a new cycle in which there is room for what is acceptable and compassionate in a modern society.
Smith added an explicit recognition to the publishing giant: “we applaud Condé Nast for having grasped the signs of change and having contributed to convincing the fashion world that compassion towards animals is a trend destined to last”.
Despite the positive opinion on the initiative, Humane World for Animals expressed the hope for a “constructive discussion with the company to prevent the exploitation of any loopholes in an otherwise commendable policy”.
The organization had previously announced fur-free policies adopted by other industry magazines such as ELLE and InStyle. Condé Nast’s move, due to its editorial reach and its influence on creative and commercial processes, consolidates the idea that ethical responsibility and sustainability are becoming essential elements for global brands and for the very dynamics of the luxury and fashion market. The commitment of the organization Humane World for Animals, in this sense, is to “put an end to the cruelest practices” and “build a stronger movement for the protection of animals”.
