Archbishop of Canterbury Urged to Keep Cruel Fashion Out of Gucci Show at Westminster Abbey

For Immediate Release:
1 June 2015

Contact:
Sascha Camilli 02078376327, ext 235; [email protected]

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY URGED TO KEEP CRUEL FASHION OUT OF GUCCI SHOW AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY
Cruelly Produced Exotic Skins Have No Place in His Holy Church, Says PETA

London – As Gucci prepares to hold the first-ever fashion show at Westminster Abbey, PETA has rushed a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, urging him not to allow exotic skins – which are used in many of the fashion house’s accessories – to showcase on the sacred religious site’s catwalk.

“Every exotic skin bag, shoe or jacket showcased by Gucci comes with a high price – and it’s paid by animals who were mutilated and left to die slowly and in pain”, says PETA Director Mimi Bekhechi. “Slaughtering animals for vanity is in no way compatible with the Church’s message of kindness and compassion.”

PETA, whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear”, recently released footage from two farms that supply skins to “luxury” fashion houses. The exposé revealed that workers rammed metal rods up alligators’ spinal columns after slitting the back of the sometimes conscious, struggling animals’ necks with a knife. Some animals survived and were seen moving in ice-water bins minutes afterwards.

Another investigation showed horrific conditions at farms supplying ostrich skins for accessory production. Terrified birds of just 1 year of age were pushed violently into a stunner before their throats were slit in full view of their flockmates and their feathers were ripped out.

PETA’s letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury is available on request. For more information about the exotic-skins industry, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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