London Fashion Week is set to make history by becoming the first major fashion event to ban exotic animal skins, effective from 2025. This groundbreaking decision will require designers showcasing their collections to exclude materials from animals like crocodiles, alligators, and snakes, marking a significant shift in the fashion industry’s approach to sustainability and ethics.
The announcement was made by David Leigh-Pemberton, Deputy Director for Policy and Engagement at the British Fashion Council (BFC), during a speech in parliament this week. This ban builds upon the BFC’s previous commitment to sustainability, including the fur ban that was formally implemented in December 2023, which had been promised by CEO Caroline Rush in 2018.
Leading the charge in sustainable fashion
By banning exotic animal skins, London Fashion Week continues to lead the way in promoting sustainable fashion practices among the “big four” fashion weeks—New York, London, Milan, and Paris. It was the first of these major events to implement a fur ban, and now it becomes the first to prohibit the use of exotic skins. This move aligns London with smaller yet influential fashion events like Melbourne and Copenhagen Fashion Weeks, which have similarly adopted bans. Meanwhile, Milan and Paris still feature fur in their shows, reflecting a divide in industry standards across key fashion capitals.
FILE PHOTO: Burberry CEO Joshua Schulman attends the Burberry catwalk show during London Fashion Week in London, Britain, September 16, 2024. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo
The ban may be more easily implemented at London Fashion Week, which has a strong presence of emerging designers. Exotic animal skins are primarily used by large leather goods brands, making them less prevalent among these newer designers. However, feathers present a more complex challenge, as they are frequently used as embellishments. Distinguishing between real and faux feathers has proven difficult—retailers such as Boohoo and Selfridges were found to have misrepresented real feathers as faux in 2023.
Advancing sustainability through fashion
The BFC’s ban on exotic skins is part of the broader Institute of Positive Fashion initiative, which focuses on enhancing sustainability, social responsibility, and environmental standards within the fashion industry. This aligns with London’s growing reputation as a hub for forward-thinking, ethical fashion.
The decision to prohibit exotic skins follows mounting pressure from animal rights groups, who have long advocated for an end to the use of animal-derived materials. Organizations like PETA have been vocal in their protests, disrupting fashion events and calling on designers to stop using animal skins, leather, and fur.
FILE PHOTO: Models present creations at the Burberry catwalk show during London Fashion Week in London, Britain, September 16, 2024. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo
PETA’s Vice President of Corporate Projects, Yvonne Taylor, praised the BFC for its progressive stance, noting that tens of thousands of supporters contacted the BFC to urge the ban. She also applauded the British designers who helped bring about this policy change, calling it a victory for animal rights and sustainable fashion.
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This bold move by London Fashion Week is expected to push the fashion industry further toward a more ethical, sustainable future, marking a significant step forward in the battle against the use of animal-derived materials.
