Fab Flash: Bebe Goes Anti-Fur

November 1, 2007

Following in Nicole Miller and Stella McCartney's footsteps, Bebe has announced that it will discontinue selling any products with fur beginning in January 2008.

Over the past year, the clothing chain has been reconsidering their fur policy, and only used fur created as a byproduct. The animal fur they use makes up less than 3 percent of their currently available products.

However, as a Bebe salesgirl alum, I'd like to step in and say that Bebe does use a lot of leather in their designs. Does a company's anti-fur effort mean as much when they also use animal skins? Just some fashion for thought...

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33 Comments

couture1 5 years 28 weeks

It is a great shame that some of you still think in this dated way. Have you not noticed that in this whole 30 years (the only time in history) we have been "sympathetic" toward animals and been anti fur, we have also wiped out their habitat on an unprecedented scale. The reason for that is we have used resources like oil to create synthetic clothing, and a way of consuming that sees clothing as disposable. Yes yes replace it every year with new the marketing men tell us! Yes...all synthetic clothing is made from oil. It is extremely damaging to the environment and so is the energy we burn to keep us warm in heated shopping malls in winter so we can walk around them in polyester.We buy training shoes instead of leather and think we are being animal friendly but you would not say that if you saw the mountains of these things in landfills. Leather shoes are repairable; synthetics are not. The vast majority of couture houses and fashion designers have shown furs this year. It is a beautiful infinitely renewable resource. All these major fashion houses and fur producers work with CITES so endangered animals are not used. Why do you think all the models that used to go naked now wear fur? Because they have looked into the reality behind the fur industry instead of the propaganda and found it so. Designers like D'arcy Moses who is a Dene Cree , and famed for his conservation views and fashion design have been influential in educating the ignorant. DKNY were one of the first to bring native furs into the public eye. People like the Inuit and Cree and Siberian tribes rely on fur trade for their living.Unlike us, they do not destroy the forest though as we expand in the quest for resources we are impacting heavily on them. I appeal to those of you who are anti fur to think again. Maybe read this if you need any convincing; D'arcy Moses fur design is talked about and illustrated here within the context of morality and its nature regarding animals: http://www.friesian.com/moral-1.htm Also I would like to dispel some myths here. Leather is a primary product in herds bred for it. The meat is used of course but quality leather has to have the hide as its primary concern. With rabbit I may add the fur in the Czech republic Slovakia and many other countries the fur is a tertiary product. First is hat felt. All good quality hats are made from this. The rabbits are sheared for about 4 years then the hair used in felt. After a few years the animal is killed and both meat and fur pelt used. I, and many fashion processionals, are invited to go to fur farms and we have seen they are not as you imagine. The animals are looked after extremely well. Did you know for example that all mink kits are weaned correctly? They are the only domestciated animals (even pets) for which this happens. Your milk has the young taken from its mother and you drink it.(The alternative soya milk as vast areas of natural habitat destroyed to grow it).The young mink are with their mothers until she gets fed up of them as she would in the wild. In addition Mink are solitary animals and cannot be kept in cramped conditions like battery chickens. The truth is that If you mistreat an animal it loses fur by becoming stressed. The only time animals in the industry do not have their meat used is when they are humanely injected; like your elderly pet. The meat is then poisoned. But when they are culled by cervical dislocation (instant and painless) the meat regularly ends up in pet food. It may surprise you to know that beaver, one of the furs of the Cree, cannot be farmed as it does not breed in captivity. The meat is ALWAYS eaten; and the beaver are prolific in Cree lands where their habitat is protected. In lands which have been developed, their damming means they are culled as pests because they flood homes and developments. http://www.arcticphoto.co.uk/supergal/cr/cr00/cr0032-16.htm http://www.arcticphoto.co.uk/supergal/cr/cr00/cr0057-35.htm Native people produce about 20% of furs. The rest is produced on farms with high welfare standards like these: http://www.sagafurs.com/qualitysystem/farming/welfare/index.php Thy are not mistreated animals; quite the contrary. So where do all these videos and propaganda from animal rights organisations come from? Well this may give you an insight: http://www.furcommission.com/news/newsC7.htm A great many sophisticated and sinister organisations rely on gullible people to make money out of sympathy with animals. The truth is however, that a society that does not need animals is one in which animals are most endangered. It takes tens of thousands of years for nature to make oil and its not renewable.Its extraction, transport, refinement, production into clothing and its disposability is extremely damaging to animals. It takes decades to grow some trees. It takes a couple of years to breed a million rabbits. Fur is infinitely renewable, it lasts years, is recyclable and when it is after maybe 60 years discarded causes no habitat damage. Wearing it conserves energy. It is regrettable that Bebe are tapping into sympathy for animals as a marketing trick. For it has no other credibility. Maybe its time we started supporting designers who use fur and rejecting those who continue to use synthetics. Everything humans do leaves an eco footprint. In comparison to synthetics, fur is very small and indeed can be very beneficial; as in the case of the Cree and their beaver, the Sami and their reindeer, the Chukchi and their Siberian fox, the Evenk and their sable. And its synthetics and non renewable resource exploitation that threaten their wilderness. When you buy an item of fashion, it is in your interest to buy something from natural materials that is made to last. Yes you will pay a lot more for it; but it will last an awful lot longer and is kinder to animals in the long run. Please read the bottom of this from the university of South Dakota: http://ars.sdstate.edu/animaliss/furfarm.html Oh and take a look at what those nice people that say they would rather go naked than wear fur do to animals: http://ars.sdstate.edu/animaliss/furfarm.html

cheesebrowniemmm 5 years 28 weeks

I'm super psyched about Bebe's anti-fir direction. Not only for the obvious reasons, but let's face it, Bebe's firrier items generally look tacky, gaudy and slightly trashy. I love a lot of their clothes, but getting rid of the fir will only elevate their clothing line. Now they can actually expend some creative capacity by designing a larger range of classy and fashionable apparel. Hoorah!

snowbunny11 5 years 29 weeks

RCL: fur is NOT the by-product of any other industry. I really hope you did not get that idea from my post, because it is NOT NOT NOT the by-product of a food industry. They do not serve mink at mickey dee's. They may serve rabbit at some high-end restaurants, but this is cruel, and they are NOT the rabbits used for fur. The fur of the rabbits "we" eat is thrown out. We do NOT eat rabbits whose fur is used. We throw them out after they are skinned. I do not know enough about the leather industry to know how that works, or if leather is really a by-product. But, not all of us keep eating cows. I suggest the pseudo-diet book "Skinny Bitch" that Posh was seen reading if you want to learn about vegetarianism.

snowbunny11 5 years 29 weeks

RCL: fur is NOT the by-product of any other industry. I really hope you did not get that idea from my post, because it is NOT NOT NOT the by-product of a food industry. They do not serve mink at mickey dee's. They may serve rabbit at some high-end restaurants, but this is cruel, and they are NOT the rabbits used for fur. The fur of the rabbits "we" eat is thrown out. We do NOT eat rabbits whose fur is used. We throw them out after they are skinned.I do not know enough about the leather industry to know how that works, or if leather is really a by-product. But, not all of us keep eating cows. I suggest the pseudo-diet book "Skinny Bitch" that Posh was seen reading if you want to learn about vegetarianism.

RCLdesigngirl 5 years 29 weeks

I see no problem using fur or leather if both are by-products from other industries. We're probably going to keep on eating cows, so their skin might as well be put to good use.

Fab_Kitty 5 years 29 weeks

Just this past week I was thinking about trying to buy only non-leather products (because of the apparent fur v. leather double-standard). Thanks for bringing up this interesting topic, Fab!

ur_momm 5 years 29 weeks

me=Cheapskate :P

ur_momm 5 years 29 weeks

me=Cheapskate :P

ur_momm 5 years 29 weeks

it's called Matt & Nat. I find their stuff at Winners all the time for cheaper though. <<

ur_momm 5 years 29 weeks

it's called Matt & Nat. I find their stuff at Winners all the time for cheaper though. <<<Cheapskate :P

elmosisi 5 years 29 weeks

on another note, i love their new ad campaign!!!!

shoeaholic 5 years 29 weeks

Go Bebe!

shoeaholic 5 years 29 weeks

Go Bebe!

snowbunny11 5 years 29 weeks

Yay for Bebe! I think that the reason that leather doesn't get as much attention is because it's claimed that it is the by-product of the meat industry, aka cow-skin. So the deal is that the animal would be killed anyway. However, as a vegetarian that means my handbags support the meat industry anyway! With fur, even rabbit fur isn't really the by-product of the food industry, because the rabbits used for consumption are killed young so they are tender, while the rabbits used in making coats are killed when they are older and their fur is thicker. Also it takes more mink to make a coat than it takes cows to make a bag or shoes, plus leather is very useful because it is so durable (think shoes), whereas fur seems just frivolous. That being said, I am trying *really* hard not to buy anything else that is leather because obviously there is still a double standard. Actually, I bought a faux-leather bomber jacket at Target for $30 a week ago, and I have gotten so many compliments on it, it looks great and was sooo cheap! The only thing is...when people go to touch it pretty much gives it away! Still, it is worth it! I think that banning fur is a first step, but it is great to use less leather as well.

snowbunny11 5 years 29 weeks

Yay for Bebe!I think that the reason that leather doesn't get as much attention is because it's claimed that it is the by-product of the meat industry, aka cow-skin. So the deal is that the animal would be killed anyway. However, as a vegetarian that means my handbags support the meat industry anyway!With fur, even rabbit fur isn't really the by-product of the food industry, because the rabbits used for consumption are killed young so they are tender, while the rabbits used in making coats are killed when they are older and their fur is thicker. Also it takes more mink to make a coat than it takes cows to make a bag or shoes, plus leather is very useful because it is so durable (think shoes), whereas fur seems just frivolous.That being said, I am trying *really* hard not to buy anything else that is leather because obviously there is still a double standard. Actually, I bought a faux-leather bomber jacket at Target for $30 a week ago, and I have gotten so many compliments on it, it looks great and was sooo cheap! The only thing is...when people go to touch it pretty much gives it away! Still, it is worth it!I think that banning fur is a first step, but it is great to use less leather as well.

poom 5 years 29 weeks

it's a step in the right direction...

emalove 5 years 29 weeks

Well, that's good! I wasn't aware that their fur wasn't faux in the first place...

hottpink 5 years 29 weeks

ur_momm....what is the name of the designer in Montreal?

ur_momm 5 years 29 weeks

i have a few bags from a designer here in montreal that are vegan except they use PVC.... which is actually horrible for health and the environment. "PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic, commonly referred to as vinyl, is one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created. PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle, at the factory, in our homes, and in the trash. Our bodies are contaminated with poisonous chemicals released during the PVC lifecycle, such as mercury, dioxins, and phthalates, which may pose irreversible life-long health threats. When produced or burned, PVC plastic releases dioxins, a group of the most potent synthetic chemicals ever tested, which can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive systems." http://www.besafenet.com/pvc/about.htm so ummm I guess we just cant win? :( so sad.

ur_momm 5 years 29 weeks

i have a few bags from a designer here in montreal that are vegan except they use PVC.... which is actually horrible for health and the environment."PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic, commonly referred to as vinyl, is one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created. PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle, at the factory, in our homes, and in the trash. Our bodies are contaminated with poisonous chemicals released during the PVC lifecycle, such as mercury, dioxins, and phthalates, which may pose irreversible life-long health threats. When produced or burned, PVC plastic releases dioxins, a group of the most potent synthetic chemicals ever tested, which can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive systems."http://www.besafenet.com/pvc/about.htmso ummm I guess we just cant win? :( so sad.

hottpink 5 years 29 weeks

LoL @ jmast!!! I am a avid animal lover/vegetarian and agree with most people on here.....it's so hard to find things that aren't leather. Everything has leather in it! I avoid all leather products that I can but still own some stuff that I have had forever.

jmast 5 years 29 weeks

hi ur_momm :wave: I know, it's hard. I have leather pants from when I used to go out clubbing and leather jackets and bags and shoes. It's hard to avoid leather. Easier said than done. If you go to Zappos.com they have a section for eco-friendly and vegetarian shoes :) I actually got a pair of Converse sneakers that don't have any leather :) Thankfully most of my Louis Vuitton bags are made out of mostly vinyl. LOL!! When my hubby found out he paid that much for vinyl and a strip of leather he was so mad!! LOL!

jmast 5 years 29 weeks

hi ur_momm :wave: I know, it's hard. I have leather pants from when I used to go out clubbing and leather jackets and bags and shoes. It's hard to avoid leather. Easier said than done. If you go to Zappos.com they have a section for eco-friendly and vegetarian shoes :) I actually got a pair of Converse sneakers that don't have any leather :)Thankfully most of my Louis Vuitton bags are made out of mostly vinyl. LOL!! When my hubby found out he paid that much for vinyl and a strip of leather he was so mad!! LOL!

ur_momm 5 years 29 weeks

jmast you are so right!!! I try to avoid buying leather but sometimes i dont even realise its in some things i buy... like sneakers. i guess every little bit counts... but yeah, Fur just isnt as popular anymore so i dont think it impacts stores as much to get rid of it. but leather... good luck!

ur_momm 5 years 29 weeks

jmast you are so right!!!I try to avoid buying leather but sometimes i dont even realise its in some things i buy... like sneakers. i guess every little bit counts... but yeah, Fur just isnt as popular anymore so i dont think it impacts stores as much to get rid of it. but leather... good luck!

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