New York Fashion Week bans animal fur shows

The Council of Designers of America, the organization responsible for the official schedule of New York Fashion Week, has issued a historic statement.

As a result of years of collaboration with animal rights organizations, the Council of American Designers has decided to stop displaying animal fur on all of its official channels, including its website and social media.

But the most significant changes are yet to come. Starting in September 2026, the Council of Designers of America will no longer allow the use of animal fur in collections presented on the official New York Fashion Week schedule.

PETA praised the Council of American Designers, describing them as “finally banning the horrors of animal fur from the fashion runway” because “almost all the world’s major fashion brands have condemned this cruel industry, knowing that animals, including our beloved cats and dogs, are being tortured.”

The decision by the Council of American Designers is part of a global trend that includes London Fashion Week, which will ban fur shows in 2023, as well as Copenhagen, Stockholm and Melbourne Fashion Weeks. At the same time, media giants have also taken a similar position: for example, Condé Nast (owner of Vogue) has banned the display of animal fur in its editorial and advertising materials.

The ban mainly applies to fur that is farmed or taken from the wild, such as mink, fox, chinchilla and raccoon dogs. However, an exception is made for animal fur that is hunted by indigenous communities using traditional hunting methods.

The American Council of Designers is committed to supporting designers during this transition, providing educational materials and a library of materials to encourage them to seek more innovative and environmentally friendly alternative materials.

Although fur is now slowly becoming a fashion fad, the issue of using animal skins is still relevant, and PETA is calling on the American Council of Designers to expand its ethical policy.