Even though some brand have steered away from using real animal products, a lot of designers still include it in their main collections. From shoes, garments and accessories fur is still commonly seen on the catwalk at major shows.
From watching the Spring/Summer 2020 Ralph and Russo show it’s clear to see that the use of mink and ostrich feathers are key to the connection of the collection. The use of flowing satin as a fabric in the collection contrasts well with the use of mink in a heavy coat.
The collection is a mix of formal wear and casual wear and sometimes these themes mix in one outfit. With the more formal dresses the use of ostrich feather alongside embroidered tulle is a great combination as the structure of the dress is contrasted with the movement of the feathers. Without these ostrich feather the dress would not have the same impact on the consumer, it makes it look luxurious and expensive.
Along with the garments a lot of the shoes are also made from mink or suede. The collection contains a range of different shoes including, suede and mink slides, suede knee high boots and suede, mesh and neoprene sneakers. Out of the 47 looks in the collection there are only 8 outfits which don’t contain a shoe with no animal products. The products used are leather, suede and mink.
Watch the Ralph & Russo Spring/Summer 2020 show on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYpuayEFP9I
I will post a bibliography at the end of the blog.
Abigail Phillips 