Selfridges Becomes First Department Store To Ditch Exotic Animal Skins

Luxury department store Selfridge will stop selling exotic animal skins – making it the first retailer of its kind to do so.

The store, which banned fur in 2005, will phase out inventory made from the skins of animals alligators, crocodiles, lizards, and pythons. From February 2020, it will only sell leather from ‘agricultural livestock’ – including cows, calves, and lambs among others.

Sebastian Manes, Selfridges’s Buying Director, said: “We will continue in our ambition to inspire our brands and customers through thoughtful, ethical and transparent buying strategies.”

‘Compassionate fashion’

“When Selfridges went fur-free more than a decade ago, it positioned itself as a retailer at the forefront of compassionate fashion,” Claire Bass, Executive Director of the Humane Society International, said in a statement.

“Banning exotic skins in recognition of the serious animal welfare issues that exist in this industry is a natural next step for a responsible retailer.

“Selfridges, Victoria Beckham and Chanel banning exotic skins within weeks of each other raises the bar in compassionate fashion and illustrates a shift in the industry towards innovative, high-end animal-free fabrics.

“We look forward to seeing more designers make the same ethical choice to stop subjecting exotic creatures to cruelty, and leave them in the wild where they belong.”