Snakeskin has been very in-demand for Fall — designers like Jimmy Choo, Calvin Klein, Prada, Fendi, YSL, and Roberto Cavalli have all made use of it on their bags and shoes.
Yesterday, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, condemned the practice, saying, "A python has a hose shoved down its throat, is blown up with water then skinned alive. Then it's tossed onto a pile and is left, sometimes for days, before it dies. The trade is pushing many species towards extinction and the endangered species of tomorrow can be seen in the luxury shops of today." Gnarly.
Designers claim to use skins from "farmed" pythons, but experts say there is a thriving illegal trade, endangering the python population in Southeast Asia.
What do you think: should designers continue to use python?
