London Fashion Week Bans Exotic Skins

The British Fashion Council (BFC) just made waves by moving to ban the use of exotic animal skins at London Fashion Week, setting a bold new standard for ethical fashion. If brands want to show at LFW, they’ll now need to pledge not to include these materials in their collections—a shift that’s already shaking up the industry.

The news was confirmed by BFC’s deputy director for policy and engagement, David Leigh-Pemberton, who took to LinkedIn to outline the updated requirements. Designers applying for LFW must now commit to avoiding exotic skins entirely, aligning with the council’s broader standards under its Institute of Positive Fashion. And that’s not all—Leigh-Pemberton hinted that a similar ban on feathers could soon be on the horizon.

This isn’t the BFC’s first step toward a more sustainable future. Back in December 2023, the council banned animal fur on its runways, joining the likes of Copenhagen Fashion Week and other industry leaders in ditching the controversial material. The new exotic skin ban builds on that momentum, marking another win for conscious fashion.

Unsurprisingly, PETA is all over this development. In a statement, Yvonne Taylor, PETA’s vice president of corporate projects, said: “PETA tips its hat to the BFC for banning wild-animal skins from its catwalks less than a year after it instituted a long-overdue no-fur policy at LFW. Tens of thousands of PETA supporters contacted the BFC, calling for this progressive move.”

Taylor didn’t hold back, adding: “We salute the compassionate British designers who helped usher in this new policy by recognizing that crocodiles, lizards, snakes, and other animals should never be bludgeoned, impaled, or beheaded for their skin. The future of fashion is animal-free – and the future is now.”

It’s clear the industry is moving toward a more ethical, animal-free future—and London Fashion Week is making sure it’s leading the charge. As the conversation around sustainability and cruelty-free fashion continues to grow, this move feels less like a trend and more like a long-overdue step in the right direction.