The trend of luxury fashion houses turning their backs on using fur in collections has seen the likes of Tom Ford, Michael Kors and Gucci pledging to go fur-free. One young designer has taken sustainable fashion in a new direction, showing denim fur on the runway at Milan Fashion Week.

Tiziano Guardini and denim fur

Designer Tiziano Guardini’s denim fur caught the attention of fashion week goers during Milan Fashion Week. The pieces – a long coat, short jacket and jean vest – featured layers of shredded denim that mimicked the volume and movement of fur.

The fabrics were developed in collaboration with Isko Creative Room, the world’s largest producer of denim and were made using certified organic cotton and pre-consumer recycled cotton. This new denim fur can be used to embellish clothes in the same way that real fur has done in the past. Fabio Di Liberto, brand director of ISKO told The Independent,

“We believe that denim ‘fur’ can be a responsible, fun, hype and cruelty-free alternative to animal fur. Sustainability is a difficult concept, dynamic and multidimensional. ISKO is working with its partners to raise awareness and to change the way people think about denim, within the industry but also with consumers.”

Sustainability is top of mind for the up-and-coming Italian designer. In 2017, Guardini won the Franca Sozzani GCC Award for “Best Emerging Designer” during the Green Carpet Fashion Awards. His previous collections have displayed his affinity for sustainable materials including garments made with recycled nylon and organic silk.

“I’ve always wanted to create fur alternatives and have in the past trialled a number of different looks – my first creation was made from pine needles! Western countries do not need to use animal furs but some fashion houses continue to do so. I’m hoping that by creating a sustainable alternative such as denim fur we will be able to show people that fur alternatives are just as beautiful and aesthetically pleasing as the real thing.”

Melissa Reid

Melissa Reid

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