Milan Fashion Week discourages fur 2026

Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana said on May 15 that Milan Fashion Week will begin discouraging fur on its runways from the September 2026 edition under new voluntary guidelines. The industry body said brands will be invited not to present garments, accessories or other items made with animal fur during official shows. The measure stops short of a ban and carries no sanctions for labels that do not follow it. The group also said it will not promote fur in the direct production of its own communication content. ### What exactly did Milan Fashion Week change? The new CNMI guidelines apply to Milano Fashion Week shows starting in September 2026, according to the organization’s statement. The document invites participating brands not to show items made with animal fur, while leaving companies’ creative and business choices intact under Italian and European law. WWD reported on May 15 that the framework is a best-practice recommendation rather than a formal prohibition. (cameramoda.it) The trade publication said brands that do not follow the guidance will not face exclusion from the official calendar or other penalties. ### Why did CNMI stop short of a formal ban? CNMI said in the guidelines that it does not see bans as the most effective tool and, in any case, could not impose one given its role and powers as an industry association. (cameramoda.it) The organization said it chose a voluntary approach that it described as consistent with its status and with its existing sustainability and ethical commitments. (wwd.com) Carlo Capasa, chairman of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, said the publication of the guidelines was “a further step” in a responsibility and sustainability path the group has pursued for more than a decade. In the same statement, he said the initiative was meant to accompany changes in the fashion system “with balance and awareness.” ### What pressure was Milan under before this move? (cameramoda.it) Animal-rights groups had pressed CNMI to adopt a full fur-free policy before the May 15 announcement. AFP reported that activists demonstrated during the March women’s shows and had called on Milan to match other fashion weeks that already bar fur. CNMI thanked LAV, Collective Fashion Justice and Humane World for Animals in its statement, saying the groups had worked with the chamber over the last three years. (cameramoda.it) Collective Fashion Justice said the new guidance did not guarantee fur would disappear from Milan’s runways, but Emma Hakansson of the group said she hoped the statement would encourage wider use of next-generation materials. (rfi.fr) ### How does Milan compare with other fashion capitals? London Fashion Week banned fur in 2023, and WWD reported that New York announced a ban in December that will apply from its spring 2027 shows beginning in September 2026. WWD also said other fashion weeks including Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Melbourne have announced fur-free policies. (cameramoda.it) Milan’s approach is narrower than those outright bans. AFP described CNMI’s move as voluntary, and the chamber’s own statement says the guidelines are meant to reflect international trends without restricting member brands’ autonomy. ### Which brands are most affected? AFP reported that many major names showing in Milan had already gone fur-free, including Armani Group, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada. (wwd.com) The report identified Fendi as a notable holdout because the house began as a furrier. Maria Grazia Chiuri, in her first show for Fendi, presented what AFP described as remodeled furs made from older pieces reworked into new designs. (cameramoda.it) That detail underscored the distinction between Milan’s new recommendation and a binding rule that would automatically remove all fur-related material from the runway. ### What happens next in September 2026? (rfi.fr) September 2026 will be the first Milan Fashion Week season held under the new guidelines, CNMI said. The chamber said the collaboration with animal-welfare groups would continue and that the policy would be applied alongside its own decision not to feature fur in official promotional content. The September shows will test how participating brands respond to a voluntary standard rather than a ban. (rfi.fr) CNMI has said there will be no sanctions or exclusion from the calendar for labels that choose not to follow the recommendation. (wwd.com) (cameramoda.it)