On 18th May 2026, Milan Fashion Week announced new guidance encouraging designers not to use fur on its runways, but animal protection campaigners say the measure fails to address the ongoing exploitation of animals for fashion.
The Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI), which oversees the event, stated it would no longer promote fur. However, as the recommendation is not mandatory, brands remain free to continue showcasing animal-derived materials without facing any consequences. The guidance also makes exceptions for vintage or upcycled fur, as well as fur obtained through subsistence hunting by Indigenous communities.
Campaigners from the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT) argue that anything short of a complete ban leaves millions of animals at risk. The group has been leading a global campaign against Milan Fashion Week since January, organising over 121 protests across 39 cities in 12 countries within four months.
Suzie Stork, Executive Director of CAFT, said, “By issuing a recommendation to not use fur, CNMI and Carlo Capasa are acknowledging that confining and killing millions of animals for luxury fashion causes tremendous suffering and is an entirely unnecessary and unethical practice. And yet they still lack the courage to ban it outright. One has to wonder whether the pressure from Fendi, one of the few brands still using fur, is simply too great. CNMI is choosing to protect the interests of LVMH over the reputation of Italian fashion and the ethical standards the rest of the industry is moving toward…This will not be enough to get us off their backs. CAFT will continue to campaign against CNMI and educate its sponsors until an actual ban is in place.”
Sustained protest efforts have already had a tangible impact. CNMI has reportedly lost three major sponsors, Wella, DHL, and Visa, following activist pressure targeting companies associated with the event. Activists are now focusing on CNMI’s water partner, Acqua Fiuggi, and its business connections. Recent demonstrations included a protest outside the Washington home of an EssilorLuxottica executive linked to the brand.CAFT has announced a global week of action from 19th to 23rd June, timed to coincide with Milan’s Men’s Spring Summer 2027 shows, urging campaigners worldwide to intensify pressure on the fashion body and its affiliates.
