Faux fur coats, jackets, shawls that look just like the real thing and the brands leading the way in a booming market
- Brands are eschewing real fur in favour of the faux stuff and Gen Z, with their focus on animal welfare issues, are likely why
- ‘100 per cent cruelty-free’ designs by fashion brand Apparis can be found on TikTok and Instagram, while stylist Madeline Weeks’ ‘fir’ line sells for thousands
To be a consumer in the world today is to wear one’s politics and morals quite literally on one’s sleeves.
This is one of the joys of fashion brand Apparis, which bills itself as vegan and “100 per cent cruelty-free” and offers shoppers bold, social-media-worthy designs that reinforce its commitment to doing good things through their purchases.
As well as producing pieces from fabrics made of leftover and recycled materials, Apparis says on its website it employs “boutique factories in both China and Italy”, where “staff is paid fairly and treated with the utmost respect”. Apparis began as a line of faux furs in 2016, and has since grown to include pyjamas, pillows, dog leash covers and miniature faux fur jackets for children.
The shift is probably driven by the kinds of Gen Z consumers Apparis hopes to reach; Boston Consulting Group reported in 2019 that Gen Z shoppers care more about animal welfare than any other sustainability issue when purchasing luxury goods.
