Fashion Retailer Moda Operandi Bans All Fur Products

Moda Operandi is the latest fashion retailer to get the memo that fur is no longer fashionable. The announcement was made by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which is responsible for putting pressure on the upscale online retailer. Moda has ceased the sales of animal fur, effective immediately. "The announcement comes after PETA sent the online retailer exposés and information about how animals used in these industries suffer before being violently killed," PETA explained in a statement.

“Exotic skins and fur belong on the animals born with them, not on collars or clutches,” said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “The champagne corks are popping at PETA as we celebrate that Moda Operandi is making the fashion world a kinder place for foxes, alligators, and other animals.”

This distancing from animal furs and exotic skins has been a rising trend in the fashion industry, as luxury fashion houses including Valentino, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, and Saint Laurent have dropped fur from all future collections.

Moda Operandi was founded in 2010 by Lauren Santo Domingo and Aslaug Magnusdottir and quickly became one of the highest-profile online shops where the fashion elite could order styles direct from the runway. As most major design houses have steadily removed fur from their racks and faux fur has become increasingly popular, the retailer will likely not see any serious impact on sales and may even pick up new customers with the move.

This announcement is another indication that the fashion industry is moving toward more climate-friendly sustainable, and cruelty-free practices. Last December, ELLE announced that it would become the first major fashion magazine to implement a global fur ban on both its editorial as well as advertising branches.

"It's a really great opportunity to increase awareness for animal welfare, bolster the demand for sustainable and innovative alternatives and foster a more humane fashion industry." ELLE Senior Vice President and Internation Director Valeria Bessolo Llopiz said to Reuters. “Fur appears to be outdated and not fashionable anymore, especially for the Gen Z, who is the golden target of fashion and luxury industry. Gen Z wants fashion to be responsible, ethical, and innovative, and that's what's happening."

The Met Gala has also brought the fur conversation into the spotlight when vegan activist and superstar Billie Eilish decided to let Oscar de la Renta dress her under one condition: The legacy fashion house ditched fur permanently. The designer agreed, and Eilish wore a Marilyn Monroe-inspired tulle gown, lauding Oscar de la Renta by saying, "Thank you for designing this beautiful dress and bringing my ideas and vision to life. It was an honor to wear this dress knowing that going forward Oscar de la Renta will be completely fur-free!"

While Moda Operandi still stocks products that feature leather, removing fur from its portfolio marks a major shift in the online fashion industry. Other retailers including Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue have decided that fur is last season, and as more designers drop animal pelts from their runway collections, we can expect that more retailers will end up adding their names to that growing list.

For more sustainable happenings, check out The Beet's Environmental News. 

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