Polo Ralph Lauren Is Eliminating Fur from All of Its Apparel and Home Collections, Starting With the Holiday 2006 Season

Wow, if true. We’ll keep a close watch to see if this changes. But for now, good decision on the part of Polo. This truly will make a big difference.

Article:

olo Ralph Lauren to Drop Fur From Items

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060608/polo_ralph_
lauren_fur.html?.v=1

Thursday June 8, 6:47 pm ET
By Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Business Writer

Polo Ralph Lauren to Eliminate Fur From All of Its Apparel, Home
Collections

NEW YORK (AP) -- Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. said late Thursday that it is
eliminating fur from all of its apparel and home collections, starting
with the holiday 2006 season.

In a press release, the New York-based fashion house said that fur had
only been "used on a limited basis as an accent in some collections."

"We are publicly announcing this decision because the use of fur has been
under review internally and we feel that the time is right to take this
action," the company said in a statement.

The move by Polo Ralph Lauren represents the first major designer house
to abandon fur since designer Calvin Klein did so in the mid-1990s,
according to animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals, which was involved in negotiations with Polo Ralph Lauren since
March.

"This is one of the biggest victories in the fur campaign," said Dan
Mathews, vice president at PETA.

PETA, known for disrupting fashion shows, and storming Seventh Avenue
fashion houses, has been mounting pressure on other designer fashion
brands, including Donna Karan International and luxury goods brand
Burberry Group PLC.

Late last year, J. Crew Group Inc. stopped selling fur after PETA
launched a boycott campaign and staged protests outside the retailer's
doors nationwide.

"Ralph Lauren clothes have always been elegant, but now you can feel
comfortable inside and out knowing that the company has made this
compassionate decision," said Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA.

As part of its initiative, Polo Ralph Lauren will donate 1,200 new units
of women's clothing containing fur to charitable organizations, which
will give them to an international relief organization for distribution
to those in need.

Polo Ralph Lauren officials declined to say how much canceled fur orders
will cost them financially.