Condé Nast to no longer feature new fur in publication

Condé Nast, a global mass media company that owns leading publications such as Vogue, Glamour, Vanity Fair, and GQ, will no longer feature new animal fur in any of its global editorial content or advertising.

The global company has added a new statement to its website, which reads:  “Across our titles, we do not feature new animal fur in editorial content or advertising.” The announcement comes reportedly after a nine-month campaign spearheaded by the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT), which included demonstrations and protests. 

Fur remains one of the earliest animal-based materials used by humans to create clothing and has been utilized for more than 40,000 years. Warm, soft, and incredibly durable, fur offered several capabilities that no other material could at the time, and was ideal for a range of applications from garments to bags and more. As the sourcing of fur and leather was a complicated and difficult task, owning leather or fur items soon became associated with symbols of wealth, luxury, and power. 

Over the centuries, fur from animals including minks, foxes, sables, and ermines was worn by royalty and nobility across Europe, with North America becoming a leading manufacturer of fur in the 17th and 18th centuries. However, it was not until the 19th century that fashion designers began using fur regularly in their collections. Although fake furs slowly began appearing in the market in the early 1900s, in 1929, the first line of a Vogue article read: “Go without jewels, pocket money, or everyday clothes, Vogue advises, but never try to scrimp on fur. For the fur you wear will reveal to everyone the kind of woman you are and the kind of life you lead,” cementing the status associated with fur. 

Throughout the mid-20th century, fur was frequently used in Hollywood films and fashion, linked to the ultimate glamorous lifestyle. So when did fur begin to fall out of favor? Anti-fur activism began in the 1980s following the formation of PETA in the United States, which shone a light on the inhumane treatment of animals on fur farms. Launching influential campaigns featuring celebrities, a turning point emerged, with some magazines and designers starting to question fur’s role in society and seeking out alternatives, leading to several brands phasing out fur, like Calvin Klein in the 1990s, and the concept of fur-free fashion gaining traction. 

Fur saw a brief revival between 2000 and 2010, with global fur sales growing 70 percent during this decade, as the International Fur Federation valued the industry at more than 40 billion USD. Driven by previous trends, interest in fur faded slightly until recently, with the resurgence of Y2K fashion leading to renewed demand for vintage furs. Nevertheless, in recent years, countless leading fashion brands have gone fur-free, including Burberry, Gucci, Chanel, Phillip Lim, Coach, Diane Von Furstenberg, DKNY, Michael Kors, Versace, and Armani, as the use of real fur carries significant ethical and environmental weight. 

Millions of animals endure horrendous living conditions and are killed annually to supply the global fur industry. Approximately 37 million animals were slaughtered on fur farms across the European Union in 2020, according to the Humane World for Animals, mainly foxes, martens, minks, and chinchillas. Fifteen member countries have outlawed these farms, including Austria and Belgium, yet the practice still persists to this day. In addition to its ethical complexities, fur production also takes a heavy environmental toll. Producing 1 kg of mink fur alone requires more than 560 kg of animal feed and releases over 110 kg of CO2 emissions.

“Animals on fur farms are confined in filthy cages until they are killed by anal electrocution, gassing, or neck-breaking,” said Suzie Stork, CAFT Executive Director, in a statement.. “Condé Nast’s shift away from fur is a long overdue nod to the values of modern, ethical consumers who reject cruelty in fashion. But our work isn’t finished, we are now focusing our full attention on Berluti and the other LVMH holdouts that continue to profit from the cruel fur trade.”