Back, but future looks gloomy for furriers

By Lorraine Mallinder

Date: 24/02/05

The major dilemma facing many a dedicated follower of fashion this winter had to be the 'f'-word. Having made a controversial comeback over recent years on the runways of New York, Paris, Milan and London, fur began to seem more acceptable this winter, no longer the sole preserve of the Cruella De Vils of this world. And for fashionistas who did not fancy sporting more fur than a hunt, what harm in a discrete raccoon ruff or a pair of Mukluk rabbit boots, the last word in chic this winter? They would hardly be an invitation for a public lynching.

All in all, this was bad news for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), but good news for SAGA Furs of Scandinavia, a Copenhagen-based coalition of farmers who produce two-thirds of the world's fox and mink fur. When the fur trade became an endangered species in the 1990s as a direct result of PETA's high profile anti-fur campaigns, SAGA fought back by courting young designers, funding workshops and providing raw materials for students from colleges around the world.

Prima facie, this largesse seems to have paid off handsomely. Tired of the caring, sharing, ethical 1990s, we are now witnessing the birth of the new decadence. Fur, endorsed by top designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Versace, has undergone a total rebranding process and would appear to be flying out of the shops. The days of "I'd rather go naked than wear fur", when Anna Wintour, editor of American Vogue, famously received a dead raccoon on her plate at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan, courtesy of an enraged animal rights activist, are now long gone. Or are they?

PETA begs to differ. While deep-pocketed SAGA sponsors costly runway shows for top designers such as Celine, PETA claims that the desired effects are failing to trickle down to the average high-street consumer. The International Fur Trade Federation may have announced a fifth year of consecutive growth in the fur retail market in 2003, but the industry is still struggling to recover from the slump experienced in the late 1980s and 1990s. Sean Gifford, Director of European Campaigns for PETA, says: "The global fur trade is still down by about 50% since the mid-1980s. You have big designers like Galliano parading models in full-length mink, but it's just to be outrageous, just to guarantee headlines."

This theory is confirmed by industry bible, the Weekly International Fur News, which laments the decline in sales in western European markets. In an article from last year, it reports: "National and local economic problems have been impacting on luxury sales in general, but continuing campaigns by animal rights organisations also have been hurting sales. The once-big German industry is now only a shadow of its former self, as evidenced by last year's shrinkage of the Frankfurt Fair."

When questioned about this apparent dichotomy between hype and reported fact, SAGA declined to comment. Still, with major retailers like Inditex, owner of high street giant Zara, having pulled all fur from its stores this year in response to consumer concern, the current enthusiasm for fur would appear to be confined to the rarefied circles of haute couture.

Current trends in legislation in EU member states suggest that the industry is becoming less viable. The introduction of bans on all fur farming in Britain and Austria, a ban on fox farming in the Netherlands and tight restrictions in place in Italy and Sweden paint a gloomy picture for furriers. Ireland, where fur farming is one of the fastest growing export industries, may not be far behind with the government coming under increasing pressure to impose a ban.

Keen to cut its losses, the European Fur Breeders' Association is attempting to lead the debate on introducing EU-wide legislation. The prospect of blanket EU legislation was first mooted in recommendations made in 1999 by the Council of Europe, but progress has been slow. Association chairman Wim Verhagen, says: "We have been in discussion with the European Commission, who didn't give it high priority. So what we see now is that different member states are making their own legislation because nothing is really happening in Europe."

In the meantime, it was business not quite as usual for PETA at New York Fashion Week earlier this month. Taking a rest from the usual storm-trooping of the catwalks, PETA is now meeting SAGA on its own territory, sponsoring runway shows of designers who are cruelty-free. "This year we've declared a temporary truce," says Gifford, "we're trying a new tactic, trying to work with the [fashion] industry rather than being confrontational."

He pauses a moment before warning: "But that doesn't mean we're going to be backing off. If this doesn't work, we'll be taking over the runways again to confront designers." With the industry continuing to bankroll major fashion shows, early indications are that the fur may be set to fly once again.

• Lorraine Mallinder is a freelance journalist based in Brussels.

Article reports that fur, endorsed by top designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Versace, had undergone a total rebranding process, after the slump experienced in the late 1980s and 1990s due to campaigns by animal rights organisations.

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