Brioni and Yves Saint Laurent to Drop All Fur From Collections

(Bloomberg) -- Saint Laurent owner Kering said its brands are all going fur-free as the luxury group says it needs to adapt with changing trends.

Starting from the Fall 2022 collections, none of its brands will be using fur, the French company said Friday. 

“The world has changed, along with our clients, and luxury naturally needs to adapt to that,” Chief Executive Officer Francois-Henri Pinault said in the statement.

The group’s biggest brand Gucci took the lead in 2017 and was followed by Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta and Alexander McQueen. Brioni and Saint Laurent still use fur but will stop after the spring collections, a representative for the company said.

Kering’s decision stands in contrast to luxury group competitor LVMH.

“Our stance is freedom of choice, for our customers and our brands,” LVMH Group Managing Director Antonio Belloni said in April. LVMH’s Fendi sells mink fur coats for $30,000.

Fur makers described Kering’s decision as unfortunate since the group had been working with the industry to develop conservation programs around wild fur which supported farmers, notably in Namibia. Efforts made over the past years “will go to waste,” said Mark Oaten, CEO of the International Fur Federation.

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