In doing so, the prestigious label will follow in the footsteps of Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss, Stella McCartney, Yoox Net-a-Porter, Cos, H&M, OVS and Zara.
The company will stop using animal fur in its collections as of spring/summer 2018, Bizzarri said during the 2017 Kering Talk at the London College of Fashion.
Kering is the international luxury group of which Gucci is a subsidiary.
The CEO said animal fur has gone “out of fashion” and reiterated Gucci’s “absolute commitment to making sustainability an intrinsic part of our business”.
Bizzarri also pledged to donate revenue from sales of its remaining fur items to animal rights associations such as Humane Society International (HSI) and Italy’s Anti-Vivisection League (LAV).
HSI president Kitty Block welcomed the move as a “compassionate decision”.
“Gucci going fur-free is a huge game-changer,” she said in a statement.
“For this Italian powerhouse to end the use of fur because of the cruelty involved will have a huge ripple effect throughout the world of fashion.”
“Respect for animals is increasingly rooted in people’s values and the big names in fashion are gradually introducing policies of social responsibility in this direction,” echoed Simone Pavesi of LAV.
President of National League for Animal Protection (ENPA), Carla Rocchi, expressed her “gratitude” to Gucci after writing to Bizzarri in August to call for an end to the use of fur.
On that occasion, she raised the problem of Finnish fur farms that are reportedly breeding arctic foxes to an unhealthy size.
The Kering Talk is a five-year event founded on collaboration between the Kering Group and the London College of Fashion.
The event features an annual Award for Sustainable Fashion for young talents.
This year the award went to Laure Fernandez, Charlie Wilkinson, Dianjen Lin and Jennifer Kusowski, who will undertake internships with Gucci and Stella McCartney, another brand owned by the Kering Group.
With ANSA
