Fashion Had a Fur Addiction. PETA—and Innovation—Changed That
The fashion industry used to be PETA’s main target. But thanks to changing tastes, and better faux options, the industry is no longer enemy No. 1.
On a frisky December afternoon in New York City 30 years ago, a stylishly dressed woman entered the Four Seasons Grill Room, walked to Anna Wintour’s table, pulled a dead raccoon out of her bag, and dropped it on the Vogue editor-in-chief’s plate. The protester, a member of the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals [PETA], then shouted, “Anna wears fur hats!” and fled before anyone could catch her. “Merry Christmas,” Wintour told her lunch partner, Condé Nast Chief Executive Officer Steve Florio. Restaurant staff removed the carcass, and coffee was served.
For decades, fur has been one of the hottest hot buttons in fashion—the ultimate symbol of wealth and luxury for some and cruelty for others. High-profile protests made headlines, but in the years since that raccoon’s appearance at the Four Seasons, PETA has found working quietly behind the scenes to be more effective in swaying the fashion business away from fur.