Designer Apathy Toward Animal Cruelty * Kiss Me Stace * fashion, bags, shoes, & design

Designer Apathy Toward Animal Cruelty

September 20, 2005 by Designer Ella

PETA members were escorted out of Julien Macdonald’s show at the Natural History Museum yesterday after they jumped all over his catwalk. They said, “Heartless greedy designers like Julien Macdonald may not care about electrocuting animals and ripping off their fur for fashion, but decent, compassionate people do.”

He said, “There are far more important things to worry about like the tsunami and what happened in New Orleans than worrying about a fur coat and a dead animal.”

Fine, if he doesn’t care, why don’t we electrolyze Julien McDonald and wear HIM.

I apologize for that pettiness. To get serious, Mr. Macdonald, that was comparing apples and citrus-print frocks, and one should still care about 10 million brutally trapped dead animals and 31 million raised to die, annually, even when faced with such disasters. You don’t even sound genuinely sympathetic to “what happened in New Orleans,” or more accurately, “Hurricane Katrina having hit Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, and her incalculable-amount of victims (humans, animals and vegetation and the damages, such as the virtual loss of our precious city, New Orleans)”.

Read the highly upsetting facts:

It takes 100 chinchillas to make one fur coat.
Approximately two non-target animals are caught for every one fur-bearing animal. This includes dogs, cats, and more small animals, including endangered species.
Animals are left in these traps from anywhere from 1 to 3 days, and sometimes longer. Many times these animals will die from starvation, hypothermia, dehydration, or predation by another animal. Otherwise the trapper will shoot them, stomp them, or club them.
Many animals will chew off their own limbs in a desperate attempt at escape.
Mink are usually killed by gassing, neck breaking or poison injection. Most foxes are killed by anal electrocution, while chinchilla breeders recommend either neck breaking or genital electrocution. One farmer was caught killing minks by injecting insecticide into their hearts. This causes them to convulse up to ten minutes before they die.
Fur farmers have used inbreeding to develop mutant color phases in fur animals. This has led to genetic defects including white mink that are deaf and pastel mink with nervous disorders.
Many fur farms will feed the corpses of the skinned animals back to the live animals to save on feed costs. This sort of forced cannibalism was banned in the cattle industry because it was believed to cause Mad Cow disease.

delicious it > Add to Stylehive > Coutorture It

Categories : Fashion Week

Related Entries:

Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Email This Article to a Friend

8 Responses to “Designer Apathy Toward Animal Cruelty”

Gemma Says:
September 22nd, 2005 at 7:00 am

It would have been a great demonstration, were it not for that fact that the show they chose to demonstrate at featured absolutely no fur. I’m not defending him, as Julien MacDonald has used fur in the past, but this time he chose not to. I don’t think anyone has asked whether that is because it was a Summer show, or because he’s decided against it on principal. I suppose we’ll see in February.

I wouldn’t wear fur, mainly because I don’t see the need to be so cruel to the animals when it’s faked so well now. But the sad fact of the matter is, until women stop buying fur, designers will keep using it, because they’re trying to run a business and make money.

Something that’s always got to me about people who are so against fur is this: What about leather? Why don’t we all demonstrate against that too? PETA members are all-or-nothing, which I respect. Stella McCartney doesn’t use fur - but she also doesn’t use ANY products that derive from animals. Perhaps the cows that become our leather shoes aren’t treated quite so badly as mink and rabbits and so on, but they’re still killed and skinned so we can dress ourselves. I think it’s completely hypocritical that people get on their soapbox when it’s a cute and furry animal like a squirrel that’s being used on a handbag, yet leathers and ‘exotics’ like python and crocodile are revered. The old wives tale that leather and suede are by-products of the meat industry is a load of rubbish. They breed cattle especially to get good leather, just like the breed it to get good meat. And I wear leather and suede, and own a snakeskin belt and so on, so I don’t see how I can argue against fur without seeming like a complete hypocrite.

and just a side note - if you saw the UK tv news stories on hurricane Katrina, you’d understand why Macdonald said ‘what happened in New Orleans’!

Designer Ella Says:
September 22nd, 2005 at 8:31 am

I don’t know whether the anti-hypocrite feel was toward me (or included me), but I appreciate the politeness.

I struggle with this issue, myself. But as humans we are used to and use these products in our daily lives, so used to that we practically need the meat from cows, etc. As a woman who is into fashion, wants comfortable shoes and bags that stay sturday and are designed well, it is tough to be 100% honorable, with this matter.

The meat gives us sustenance and can be made into different dishes. I was raised on meat and I love pigs (the animals); it is very sad that I love their meat, as well. I do not argue that I am not a hypocrite, in many ways. (I believe that is one aspect of human nature, except most don’t admit it.)

As for leather, it is so much sturdier than PVC. My brand name school tote is bending in places, two snaps don’t stay closed, and the strap has a little tear in it. I abuse that thing with a 4 classes, 5-day schedule, but I haven’t even used it for long. I want a genuine leather bag (that would hopefully be a little bigger, and with some good pockets) now for school (I wouldn’t want designer, unless that’s all I can find, but I also don’t want to pay more than $400).

As for my liking calf skin now, too, it is sad, but I wear leather, anyway, and calfs are killed, anyway. Calf skin is very soft. Those are the best I can do for arguments, there.

It is understandable why we humans use the bodies of animals like cows. But one thing I will jump aboard immediately is advocating better treatment for cattle and other animals raised to die. Point me toward a story or an organization, if you’d like.

- - -

So what did the UK news say about Katrina?

Gemma Says:
September 22nd, 2005 at 12:22 pm

It wasn’t directed at you - just at the whole subject in general and all these people intent on jumping on the bandwagon without knowing the facts. I’ve had people (friends included) get upset with me for putting products that use fur on my sites (even if it was Mukluk boots so I could be very sarcastic about them) and I just find it incredible how much people can get worked up about this particular issue, yet similar things don’t seem to even register on their radar. I’ve always been amazed at the selectiveness of it all. People who are ‘totally’ against fur, yet wear lipstick that was tested on animals. (and there’s a whole other can of worms I won’t open!)

I agree with you completely when you say “As a woman who is into fashion, wants comfortable shoes and bags that stay sturdy and are designed well, it is tough to be 100% honorable, with this matter.” Which is why I try to remain neutral about the fur debate. I don’t agree with it but I don’t think I’m in any position to start preaching about it. At least not while wearing leather shoes!

…and the UK news seems to be almost all concerned with New Orleans itself - tales of looting and little kids diving into toxic water to save family members etc. That’s probably why he mentioned the city in particular.

Designer Ella Says:
September 22nd, 2005 at 3:06 pm

I completely agree with you. And I got way too angry over Julien’s quote, but it was the way he structured what he said that ticked me off the most. I had to point that out. PETA’s crazy, too. I hadn’t even thought of researching his show (with the anger, possibly, or my business) to see what he featured. Since there was no fur, he should have possibly said something else–at least I feel there could have been a better defense. I’m sure he was angry at PETA, not just for disrupting his show, but because he actually DOES care about these hurricane victims. PETA should be acting for the animals hurt and abandoned because of natural causes, too! Someone could call them out on that. Where is PETA for the wildlife and pets victimized by Katrina? PETA is extreme. It’s sad that they saw Fashion Week(s) as a better tool, just because it usually is a good place to get their publicity. (They should stick to celebrities posing with pets in posters.)

I am still a person with internal conflict over this, and I actually struggle with the question of my “materialism” being right for me, even though it makes me happy. I’m caught between letting fashion stand on its own as beauty on my blogs and caring about animals. Basically, about the story (aside from my harsh presentation of it) I tend to either post news related to fashion (when I have the time, and I know I haven’t written about the whole Moss thing) or just in a rare case–something special, like Katrina. No matter what the subject, when blogs stray from the topic and post about something else-important, it’s usually coverable. In my case, I noticed that other fashion blogs posted for the hurricane victims, and I felt I should. (It was actually something I hadn’t realized this community had something to say about, in the beginning, while caught up in my busy life [starting a school year and its inevitable issues] and just watching the stories [just viewing, thinking internally, and thinking even more about my materialism, and then of course finding the best organization FOR ME to donate to]. Come to think of it, yes, there are definitely important things a fashionista has to say about such tragedies.) At that point, I didn’t know what to write, but I didn’t want to post repitions of other blogs, so I posted about the pets.

A better outlet will be a pet blog I’m starting, but I’m on the *make a layout* stage (a very tough one) and I have homework AND so much news/postworthy fashionable things for my current blogs. Current blogs are important to maintain! But on the new one, I want to showcase outlets for charity. I have help from two other ladies on it, so it just needs to open to flow.

Yes, life and business are so much simpler with one (or two?) main interests, focuses, or opinions. But we’re mostly very complicated, so I wouldn’t even blame those girls too much for being silly enough to not understand your Mukluk post.

It’s great that you can stay focused on your blogs! It obviously works!

twdl_dee Says:
September 27th, 2005 at 10:53 am

Coming from a region in America where I have seen people shoot dogs, dogs for God’s sake, for not obeying their owners, I absolutely believe in the ethical treatment of animals! When a person or animal hurts, it hurts me! Man should use what has been given to them and use it wisely. Still, I believe if we followed everything PETA asked the world to do (jumped on their bandwagon) then people such as the Inuit would have to stop hunting seal and start buying Pleather and PVC products (produced from oil)– an odd concept. Isn’t that something we’re trying to reduce/ stop? We should try to ethically find a way to use what has been given to us without poisoning our environment. It’s a nice argument, but how do we do this? I also live in an area with chemical plants, a nuclear reactor, as well as higher than normal rates of cancer. People who have never had health problems devlop them after having moved to this area… and people hunt here(mixed feelings—- TRUST me!).

I feel it’s always easier for humanity to find the moat in another’s eye. In the end, it’s still a form of hate speech to throw red paint on someone. It may make the media, but is that truly the kind of press an organization wants? I think that fashion should be sensible and beautiful as well as ethical. If someone were to to take PETA’s stance to their extremes, silk should be considered mass murder. You would have to consider the worms in their cocoons as little innocents being slaughtered just for fashions sake. As you may know many popular, eco friendly organic lines carry a great deal silk clothing. I think it’s horrible to be inhumane to animals, but I also think it is equally wrong to be inhumane to people.

P.S. I love your blog, and I love the comments everyone has made. You have put a lot of love and affection into your site and it shows!

Designer Ella Says:
September 27th, 2005 at 4:06 pm

You have a highly educated view that I admire.

It makes me sad to hear of such areas in our own country (I assume?) where horrible acts occur in normal life.

But your comments make my cheeks widen and blush! Muah, muah!

twdl_dee Says:
September 27th, 2005 at 10:42 pm

Thanks! Cheers to you as well!

» FICA’s Fur Fashion Week Stirs Opinions * Kiss Me, Stace Says:
June 13th, 2006 at 9:31 am

[...] FICA (Fur Information Council of America) is holding their Fur Fashion Week. Of course, I don’t care to cover the styles and I’ve already given my harshest opinion, but I’d like to cover something. [...]