Viva Vegan Leather! PETA Disrupts Victoria Beckham’s Paris Fashion Week Show to Declare ‘Animals Aren’t Fabric’
Today, as Victoria Beckham’s brand held its highly anticipated show at Paris Fashion Week, three PETA activists burst onto the catwalk with signs reading, “Viva Vegan Leather” and “Animals Aren’t Fabric” and “Turn Your Back on Animal Skins” written on their shirts. While the former Spice Girl’s brand has banned the use of fur and exotic skins in its collections, it still uses a large quantity of cruelly obtained leather, particularly calfskin. See what happened next:
Viva Vegan Leather: PETA storms #VictoriaBeckham catwalk at #ParisFashionWeek ✊
No garment is worth slaughtering and skinning a sensitive animal. @victoriabeckham, wanna be the champion of vegan leather instead? #VBAW24 pic.twitter.com/kOz1qO4pFp
— PETA UK (@PETAUK) March 1, 2024
‘Stop [The Cruelty] Right Now!’
Over 1 billion animals are killed annually around the world for leather. In India, cows’ tails are often broken and irritants like tobacco and chillis are rubbed into their eyes to force them to trek up to 60 miles to a slaughterhouse. Once there, cows are thrown onto bloodied floors and endure the agony of being skinned alive or shot in the head before their throats are slit.
Say ‘Goodbye’ to Calf Leather
Before they’re slaughtered so their skin can be turned into leather, female cows are repeatedly impregnated, and their terrified babies are torn away from them shortly after birth.
Any item branded “calfskin” or “calf leather” is the product of the violent and traumatic separation of families and slaughter of babies.
Leather Is ‘Too Much’ for the Planet
Leather production is destroying the planet. Each year, the global leather industry produces 600 million cubic metres of effluent, and industry studies have identified that cow leather is fashion’s most environmentally devastating material – over 90% of the damage occurs before the skins even reach a tannery, where up to 170 unique chemicals are used.
PETA ‘Really Really Wants’ Designers to Drop Animal Skin
This is the fourth fashion show PETA entities have disrupted this season. Coach (in New York), Burberry (in London), and Fendi (in Milan) also saw activists disrupt their shows. And last season, PETA entities stormed fashion week shows in London, Milan, New York, and Paris to protest against the use of animal skin.
‘Viva’ Vegan Leather
No garment or accessory is worth the slaughter and skinning of a sensitive and intelligent animal. There’s no justification for this violence, especially when innovative vegan, eco-friendly materials are readily available. We’re urging Victoria Beckham to turn to ethical high-end leather made from apples, grapes, pineapples, mushrooms, and other plants.
‘Spice Up’ Your Wardrobe
Never buy leather or any other animal-derived material. Check out PETA’s guides to making vegan shopping easy:
Vegan Fashion: Your Guide to the Basics
Good Guys Don’t Wear Leather‘Do It’ for the Animals
While you’re here, please send e-mails to designers, fashion houses, and retailers urging them to stop using animal-derived materials in their collections:
