The world's largest anti-fur campaign calls on Max Mara to cut out fur

At the start of fashion week in Milan and ahead of the upcoming fashion week in Paris, the animal welfare organisations Humane Society International and USA as well as the Fur Free Alliance, which together represent organisations in more than 35 countries, have joined forces. Their aim: to persuade the Max Mara Fashion Group to abandon fur in the future.

The luxury group was chosen because it is one of the last major fur users, selling products with fox fur, raccoon fur and mink from China and Finland in its more than 2,500 shops in 105 countries (227 of which are in the EU).

Max Mara continues to adhere to fur, while major fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Prada, Gucci, Versace, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Jimmy Choo plus pioneers such as Hugo Boss, Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood have long since joined the fur-free movement.

Max Mara continues to hold on to fur

"Max Mara is one of the last major fashion brands still supporting the cruel fur trade. They stand alone in a world where most people think that using fur is simply wrong. The evidence is clear: fur is cruel to animals, bad for the environment and a risk to our health. It's time for Max Mara to stop using fur and set an example for compassionate fashion by going fur-free," said Elise Allart, corporate engagement director of Humane Society International/Europe, in a press release.

Around 10 million foxes, martens, minks and chinchillas are killed on EU fur farms every year, although such processes have already been banned in 15 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Slovenia).

Five other European countries - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Norway, UK, North Macedonia and Serbia - have also banned them, while Switzerland and Germany have enacted strict animal welfare regulations that have effectively ended fur farming. Tens of millions of animals suffer and die every year in the global fur trade.

At the time of publication, Max Mara did not respond to a request from FashionUnited for comment.

At the time of publication, Max Mara did not respond to FashionUnited's request for comment.