The American accessible luxury brand is the latest company to adopt a fur-free policy from this year. The policy will apply companywide, including the Jimmy Choo brand, which Kors acquired in July. Production of all animal fur will be phased out by the end of December 2018.
The house, which has paraded models down the runway wearing luxurious fur coats in the past, joins a growing number of fashion companies looking at alternatives after coming under pressure from animal rights activists and changing consumer tastes.
“This decision marks a new chapter as our company continues to evolve its use of innovative materials,” said John D Idol, Michael Kors’ chairman and chief executive, in a statement.
“Due to technological advances in fabrications, we now have the ability to create a luxe aesthetic using non-animal fur,” added designer Michael Kors. “We will showcase these new techniques in our upcoming runway show in February.”
Kors’ move follows a similar initiative by Gucci, which in October last pledged to drop fur from its collections, joining brands like Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Armani, which are all fur-free.