PETA Anti-Fur Protestors Storm Burberry Fashion Show In Milan

Otis Ferry, Modelling in Show, Confronted by Fur Foes


For Immediate Release:
25 September 2006
 
Contact:
Karen Chisholm 020 7357 9229, ext 229
Anita Singh 020 7357 9229, ext 228 


Milan, Italy – Holding signs reading, “Burberry: Fur Shame”, three PETA US activists took over the runway at the Burberry fashion show in Milan this evening, disrupting the “invitation only” event, which is part of Milan Fashion Week. As Otis Ferry, son of British rocker Bryan Ferry, walked the runway, the protestors leapt from the seated crowd and onto the catwalk chanting, “Fur is dead”. The activists were escorted out of the show and released.
 
Burberry may be best known for its distinctive plaid, but it’s the company’s use of real fur that has compassionate consumers seeing red. PETA representatives have met with Burberry executives and screened a video that shows graphic footage of animals who are suffering on fur farms and in traps. But unlike a growing number of fashion companies that are fur-free, including Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Top Shop, Selfridges, Liberty of London and H&M, Burberry continues to sell real fur.


The PETA protest comes at a bad time for the conservative British fashion company. Attempting to reposition itself as a younger, hipper brand, it was recently rebuffed by trendy UK Indie band The Rakes, who turned down Burberry’s offer to appear in an ad campaign because of its use of fur.


On fur farms, animals spend their entire lives confined to tiny, filthy cages, where they often go insane before they are killed by poisoning, gassing, anal electrocution or neck-breaking.
  
“Designers who still use fur are heartless and shameless”, says PETA Europe Director Poorva Joshipura . “These are the spring/summer collections, but right now there are animals languishing on fur farms who will be gassed, strangled or anally electrocuted for the Burberry autumn/winter collection.”
 
PETA has previously taken over the fashion show runways of fur designers Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Dior, Roberto Cavalli, Jean Paul Gaultier and Prada, among others.
 
For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.