‘The (Swedish) fashion industry is getting ready for a digital and sustainable future; hopes to be a positive example to inspire the rest of the world’

The Stockholm Fashion Week held its first online show last week in which it also opted to exclude fur or exotic skins ‘spearheading a new, compassionate, eco-friendly era in fashion.’

The event, which took place over 3 days on August 25-27 was streamed online due to the coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings.

According to PETA, the fur ban was a result of years of campaigning by the vegan charity and discussions with the event’s new organiser, the Swedish Fashion Association.

‘Digital and sustainable future’

The event was inaugurated by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden who calls herself a “proud wearer of Swedish fashion.”

A number of Swedish fashion brands and designers displayed their designs digitally   to “show that high quality fashion does a lot more than just please the eye.”

 The Crown Princess in her speech said “the fashion industry is getting ready for a digital and sustainable future and that she was “hopeful that the Swedish Fashion industry can be a positive example to inspire the rest of the world.”

‘Compassionate, eco-friendly era in fashion’

PETA in an online statement said: “Stockholm Fashion Week has shifted its focus towards sustainability in recent years and made efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by going digital in 2020.

“By now also opting not to showcase fur or exotic skins, it’s spearheading a new, compassionate, eco-friendly era in fashion.

The vegan charity added that similar to the Stockholm fashion week, “Amsterdam, Helsinki, and Oslo fashion weeks as well as Melbourne Fashion Festival have official policies against fur, and London Fashion Week hasn’t showcased any fur since 2018.”  It added that the Helsinki Fashion Week has also ditched leather from its catwalks.

‘No to cruelly obtained materials’

“In 2020, being fur-free is the norm. As hundreds of designers and fashion houses have said no to the cruelly obtained material, more and more events are giving fur the cold shoulder, too…,” PETA said.

“We look forward to seeing other events jump on the bandwagon. No one should be killed for a killer look.”

• Read: Canada Goose pledges to ditch virgin fur in future designs

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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