Style CheckArmani’s decision to go fur-free shows younger generation he’s still a leader

So 81-year-old Giorgio Armani, the longest-working and most famous of Italian fashion designers, with an empire worth US$6.2 billion (according to Forbes), has completely stopped using fur in his collections. In a move that was unexpected and widely lauded, an old-school fashion icon just schooled a much younger industry on how he can still be daring when it comes to his business.

“I’m pleased to announce that the Armani Group has made a firm commitment to abolish the use of animal fur in its collections. Technological progress made over the years allows us to have valid alternatives at our disposition that render the use of cruel practices unnecessary,” he said in a release.

“Armani’s fur-free announcement makes it clear that designers and consumers can have creative freedom and luxury, without supporting animal cruelty,” said Joh Vinding, chairman of the Fur Free Alliance, in the same release.

Armani has shown that you can put principles ahead of profit and still be a fashion titan – better late than never, we say. As any designer knows, there is a big business in real fur, especially in developing markets such as China, Russia and Central Asia.

When I was in Paris this March, watching the autumn-winter 2016 shows, I was shocked by the number of big fur coats and massive fur trims on the catwalks. When, I wondered, did real fur, in such a bombastic iteration, become so fashionable again?