Collectors Weekly (2011) Marilyn Monroe’s personal White Fox Fur Muff.  Available at: https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/9859-marilyn-monroes-personal-white-fox-fur (Accessed: 3 February 2020).

FurInsider (2013) The Royal Touch: ERMINE. Available at: https://www.furinsider.com/the-royal-touch-ermine/(Accessed: 21 March 2020).

Mary Katrantzou (2020) Stokes Coat Black/White Tiles. Available at: https://shop.marykatrantzou.com/products/stokes-coat-black-white-tiles?_pos=7&_sid=149b97782&_ss=r(Accessed: 13 January 2020).

PETA (2020) Home. Available at: https://www.peta.org/ (Accessed: 2 February 2020). 

PETA (2020) Joaquin Phoenix Reminds Everyone That ‘We Are All Animals’. Available at:https://www.peta.org/features/joaquin-phoenix-we-are-all-animals-end-speciesism/ (Accessed: 2 February 2020).

(PETA (2017) D∆WN’s ‘Graphic’ PETA Billboard Lands in Detroit. Available at:https://www.peta.org/blog/dawn-graphic-peta-billboard/ (Accessed: 17 February 2020).  

Ralph & Russo (2020) Mink Sandal. Available at: https://ralphandrusso.com/collections/shoes/products/mink-sandal-r-w-20u-21034-cs17-666 (Accessed: 8 January 2020).

Ralph & Russo (2020) Ready to Wear Spring Summer 2020. Available at: https://ralphandrusso.com/blogs/ready-to-wear-spring-summer-2020?option1=couture-3 (Accessed: 8 January 2020).

Stella McCartney (2020) Fur Free Fur Jacket. Available at: https://www.stellamccartney.com/gb/stella-mccartney/mid_cod41928228im.html#dept=main_coats_jackets (Accessed: 13 January 2020).

Stella McCartney (2020) Materials and innovation. Available at: https://www.stellamccartney.com/experience/en/sustainability/themes/materials-and-innovation/ (Accessed: 23 March 2020).

The Marilyn Monroe Collection (2019) Marilyn Monroe’s Personal Mink Fur Collar. Available at: http://themarilynmonroecollection.com/marilyn-monroe-mink-fur-collar/ (Accessed: 28 January 2020).

Vogue (2018) Fall 2018 ready-to-wear Mary Katrantzou. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2018-ready-to-wear/mary-katrantzou (Accessed: 13 January 2020). 

Vogue (2019) Fall 2019 ready-to-wear Stella McCartney. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2019-ready-to-wear/stella-mccartney/slideshow/collection#8 (Accessed: 8 January 2020).

From my question ‘How Has 21st Century Fashion Been impacted by Faux Animal Products?’ I have been able to research the fashion industry and how it has changed over the last 20 years.

It is clear to see that faux fur is getting increasingly more popular due to it being more ethical for animals. However the negatives of a polyester and acrylic based product make it not very sustainable.

Positives of faux fur:

• Animal free
• Ethical to animals
• affordable
• Plant based and recycled polyester versions are being created (Koba)

Negatives of faux fur:

• Not sustainable
• Usually made from polyester, modacrylic and acrylic
• Can look and feel cheap

With all these points it’s hard to see if it’s a bad or good product of the 21st century. Activists believe that a thing is better than real animal products due to the way animals are treated for their fur. Vegetarians and vegans would also be more for the production of faux products due to them not containing animals.

The majority of the public believe that faux fur is better than the real animal products due to them not harming animals. so if faux fur and leather is the product of 21st century fashion then there needs to be more development of the products to help them become more sustainable for our planet.

From my research I have been able to come up with an essay structure. My essay will consist of an introduction, 3 chapter and a conclusion.

Introduction:

• Why have I been inspired by faux fur?
• What do I intend to learn from researching faux fur?
• My methodologies (catwalks on YouTube, books, journals, exhibitions)
• How does faux fur link to my studio practice (materials, sustainability)? 

Chapter 1:

• Overview of fur and faux fur in fashion
• Dior exhibition (John Galliano) the use of fur
• Development of faux animal products (Stella McCartney)
• Vegan and vegetarian diets (does this effect fashion?)
• PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
• Faux fur and faux leather (what’s the difference?)

Chapter 2:

• Case study on Stella McCartney – What is her ethos?

                                                           – Has she influenced other designers?

                                                           – Is she a role model?

Chapter 3:

• How have these trends influenced the high street?

                                                           – Shop report

                                                           – Compare brands and price

                                                           – Is it still luxurious?

• Summary of chapter one and chapter two

                                             – Has faux fur influenced 21^stcentury fashion?

                                             – How have designers promoted faux fur?

                                             – How is fashion different on the high street?

• Results from survey

                                             – What have I learnt from the survey?

                                             – How can these results link to my research?

Conclusion:

• What I have learnt from my research?
• How I believe these issues can be solved
• How do I believe faux animal products have influenced 21^st century fashion
• Is the future of fashion sustainable?

From conducting my questionnaire and reviewing the results its clear to see that people are more likely to wear real leather than they are real fur.

Here are some points about leather and fur:

• Most leather is labeled as a by-product of the meat industry
• Lots of animals are farmed fo their fur
• Activists say that animals are sometimes skinned for leather while still alive
• Due to fur usually coming from smaller animals it can take more than one animal to make a coat
• Cow hides can make multiple garments and accessories
• Animals that are farmed for fur don’t have good welfare
• Animals can be overbreed selectively breed for their fur
• people believe leather is more ethical than fur

I have conducted a shop report looking at John Lewis, New Look and Primark on Exeter high-street. It was clear to see that the clothes which mostly contained faux fur where outerwear garments which is common of autumn/winter collections. I didn’t find any real fur in these three shops.

All the coats had completely different feels. the Coat for sale at John Lewis which was the most expensive would be the coat I would rate the highest. I would rate the New Look coat in the middle with the Primark coat at the bottom. The materials used to create the three different faux fur trims however were very similar. The Primark coat did however contain a higher percentage of polyester so maybe this is why it wasn’t as nice to touch as others.

After the Second World War people were excited to try something new and wear clothes that were luxury again. Dior held his first Haute Couture show on the 12 February 1947 where the ‘New Look’ was launched.

A statement piece in Dior’s collection was the bar suit which has become a historical fashion garment. Throughout Dior history there has been many recreations of the famous piece.

The Bar suit on display at the V&A Museum

From the start of his career Dior was well known due to his fitted tailoring which complimented the female body. Designers for the house of Dior, since his death in 1957, have kept his unique style but added their own twist to collections. Designers such as Dior have inspired young designers such as Stella McCartney. they have also allowed other designers from learn from their collections. For McCartney she aspires to be as big and as well down as the famous Dior, however she is able to in the 21st century do this in a more sustainable way.

Online resources:

• Stella McCartney
• Vogue
• Youtube
• Instagram
• The Guardian
• PETA
• Ralph & Russo

Books:

• Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams
• Dress of the Year
• The Fashion Book
• Fashion Designers
• Dior by Dior
• Christian Dior
• Fashion design
• Fur in Dress

Other:

• Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams Exhibition
• High-street shop report

Definition: the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

Sustainability is a huge part of our current way of living. Everyone is more aware of sustainability and how it effects our everyday life. all brands and companies have to think about what they can do to become more sustainable.

There are three areas of sustainability:

• Environmental (Considering the environment)
• Economic (considering the economy)
• Social (considering people)

Nothing can be truly sustainable without meeting these three needs. However small considerations made by brands are helping to create a sustainable future.

To understand the publics views on the subject of fur and faux fur I conducted a questionnaire. the answers were mixed but interesting. Below are the results.

Since the launch of her brand in 2001 Stella McCartney has put a lot of work into making the company sustainable. The brand is free of animal products but does use vegetarian and plant based alternatives. Sustainability is a huge area of the current fashion market and more and more brands are trying to add a sustainable ethos into their brand. Stella McCartney is ahead of a lot of brands as she has had sustainability on her mind since the brand launch in 2001.

Stella McCartney has achieved a lot in the past 20 years:

• Collaborated with H&M
• Collaborated with Adidas
• Collaborated with Jeff Koons
• Won multiple designer of the year awards
• Launched a luxury 100% organic skincare brand
• Launched Meat-Free-Monday campaign
• Collaborated with Disney for a jewellery collection
• Appointed creative director for Adidas Team GB Olympic kit 2012 & 2016
• Presented with an OBE
• Launched StellaSport
• Produced Fragrance for women

All these achievements show just how important the brand is and also how determined Stella McCartney is to produce a sustainable future.

On the Stella McCartney website there is extensive information about the materials the brand uses and the ways in which they are trying to be as sustainable as possible.

I will post a bibliography at the end of the blog.