Stella McCartney on fur in fashion: ‘It’s completely barbaric’

In an exclusive interview with Luxury magazine, Stella McCartney has reiterated her hard-line stance on the use of the contentious fabric.

Designer Stella McCartney is a vegetarian and active anti-fur spokesperson. Courtesy Stella McCartney
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In an exclusive interview with Luxury magazine, Stella McCartney has reiterated her hard-line stance on the use of fur in fashion. "I think it's completely barbaric and, moreover, unnecessary," says the lifelong vegetarian, who has championed a more ethical approach to fashion, refusing to use fur or even leather in her designs.

Nonetheless, the numbers are worrying. In 2015, 73 per cent of the 436 autumn/winter shows in New York, Paris, Milan and London featured fur, according to Finnish auction house Saga Furs. In 2014, the number stood at an already high 71 per cent. And the contentious material is not only to be found on the catwalks, but is also worming its way into street fashion.

Read more: The resurgence of fur – real and faux

When asked whether she finds it frustrating that the fur debate is still raging in 2016, McCartney responds: “Yes, extremely. Everyone should be aware of our world we live in. To respect animals and to be aware of nature, to understand that we share this planet with other creatures.”

As a result, McCartney debuted an alternative, dubbed “Fur Free Fur”, during her autumn/winter 2015 show in Paris, where models were sent down the runway swathed in shaggy blanket coats that looked like fur but were in fact made from modacrylic.

“We have captured a luxury and richness with our fur-free fur, which is proof to the fashion industry that killing animals for the sake of fashion is unnecessary,” she says.

In pictures: The range of faux-fur options now available on the market

“We have worked hard to find the perfect alternative, and we have had a really positive reaction. Everyone has been very supportive and encouraging, and it has driven changes in the way that it still looks and feels great – and, even better, is cruelty-free,” the designer says.

For more from Stella McCartney, as well as the growing number of faux-fur options on the market, pick up a copy of Luxury magazine, out with The National on Thursday, March 3.

sdenman@thenational.ae