Something to Think About...

I do have an exciting post brewing about my recent trip to Toronto and the vintage adventure my friends and I had, but in the meantime I thought I'd stir up some emotions and link an article that popped up on Reserve29 yesterday. It's about a topic that is near and dear to my heart... cruelty towards animals for human vanity.

Can you tell which mink jacket is REAL fur?

Personally, I am all about animal rights, although sit on the fence towards whether vintage leather/fur perpetuates people to buy new leather/furs. My stance on vintage is that the animal was already killed sometime ago, and I'd rather see their beautiful hides be used than end up in the landfill. BUT, I am firmly against killing animals purely for their pelts. And with all the new faux versions that come out and get better and better every year, why not spare the poor creatures some suffering already! I have to say though, I do feel awful going into public wearing my grandmother's vintage arctic fox fur hat in the winter... so it pretty much just sits on display on a hat block in my dressing room.

I guess I'll also address the fact that I make leather handbags out of recycled leather. This idea for me was a way to "save" all those perfectly usable garments that were finding their way into the garbage because of tears/stains. If one day there was no more second hand leather for me to work from... I'd find something new to reuse! :) I'd rather have a planet of happy safe animals living their lives how they should be lived... free (or on a pasture raised farm)!

Anyways, here is the Reserve29 article. I have not read article by the girl who killed 5 foxes to make ONE VEST (my stomach is still churning over that disgusting detail) as I'm pretty sure I'd be rage crying through the whole thing.

http://www.refinery29.com/what-is-free-range-fur

How do you feel about the issue?