{"id":85521,"date":"2025-01-12T14:33:24","date_gmt":"2025-01-12T13:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zine.modalova.com\/zine\/?p=85521"},"modified":"2025-01-12T14:33:24","modified_gmt":"2025-01-12T13:33:24","slug":"stylish-interview-arnaud-brunois-expert-luxury-faux-fur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/us.modalova.com\/zine\/stylish-interview-arnaud-brunois-expert-luxury-faux-fur\/","title":{"rendered":"Stylish Interview with Arnaud Brunois, Expert in Luxury Faux Fur"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are trends we love to see adapting and adopting a new ethic.<\/strong> This is the case, for example, with fur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So yes, it\u2019s beautiful, chic, and soft, but killing animals for clothing? Objectively, that\u2019s outdated and cruel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Ecopel, faux fur<\/strong> is reimagined as modern, trendy, and above all luxurious.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We met with Arnaud Brunois, Communication and Sustainable Development Manager at the event Who’s Next<\/strong> in Paris, and his energy in developing a luxury faux fur without animal cruelty<\/strong> enchanted us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the way, if you couldn\u2019t attend Who’s Next<\/strong> and want to know everything about the trends this season, I recommend you watch Victoria’s vlog<\/a>, our stunning all-terrain fashion reporter Modalova<\/strong> who legally crashed the event!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hello Arnaud, can you tell us about Ecopel?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ecopel is a Franco-Chinese company founded in 2004, specializing in faux fur with a simple concept: to sell an ethical alternative to luxury furs.<\/strong> At the time, it was much less trendy and widespread than it is now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My job? To ensure animal protection and find greener synthetic materials for the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story of Ecopel begins in luxury<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guess<\/a>, Armani<\/a>, and Stella McCartney<\/a><\/strong> were the first to join Ecopel to embrace the faux fur trend.<\/strong> Quickly, the situation evolved, and it was with English fashion designer Stella McCartney that faux fur gained traction.<\/strong> “Stella McCartney has very strong convictions, she is vegetarian, doesn\u2019t use leather. She was a pioneer, and her vision appealed to Ecopel’s management.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ethical turning point in the fashion world<\/strong> came in 2017 when luxury house Gucci<\/a><\/strong> announced that it would no longer use animal fur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, there\u2019s a before and after Gucci<\/a>. The anti-fur effect became the norm, and forty major players in the textile industry declared themselves against the use of animal fur.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Faux
Vest made by Vince darjo in a patchwork of eco-friendly faux fur bio-based, recycled, biodegradable or made from the upcycling waste collected from the oceans by Seaqual\u00ae<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Faux
KOBA\u00ae<\/sup> faux fur made in bio-based and recyclable fibers<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Faux
Ecopel samples <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Does your work also involve convincing luxury brands to switch to faux fur?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, because we collaborate with animal protection NGOs.<\/strong> We value their work as they have a challenging role in showing brands what they don’t want to see: the reality of animal fur and battery farming.<\/strong> It\u2019s ugly and also harmful to ecology. My role is positive in providing alternatives. Associative work is crucial, and we cannot just condemn brands using animal fur without offering alternative solutions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it difficult to convince these brands?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s much easier than before, but there are still some brands that continue to use animal fur from foxes<\/strong> or raccoons<\/strong> for example.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For several reasons, the first being, I think, traditional. Some brands have been making furs for a long time; it\u2019s an ingrained tradition, and they struggle to open up to more futuristic or ethical materials. There\u2019s also a financial reason, as some fur coats like mink can sell for 20,000 or 30,000 euros.<\/strong> These are not figures that can be achieved with faux fur, even if some high-quality options can sell for 5,000 euros.<\/strong> Thus, there is a profit to be made with animal fur that makes some houses reluctant to give it up. That\u2019s my interpretation, in any case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by ECOPEL (@ecopel.fauxfur)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What is the difference in lifespan between a real fur and faux fur jacket?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Real fur is supposed to last several decades, and that\u2019s probably true, even though I\u2019ve never worn any. Animal fur is treated with chemicals, which gives it that durable appearance. Without this treatment, fur, being an organic material, wouldn\u2019t last very long. Additionally, animal fur must be stored in a cold room during the summer, which is very energy-consuming. A faux fur lasts less time,<\/strong> from eight to ten years, but it has the advantage of being much more ecological.<\/strong> Of course, it also needs maintenance; however, it can be left in the summer in a closed garment bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All patterns are possible with faux fur! We love the timeless leopard print<\/a> that allows you to be trendy and ethical at the same time!<\/strong> No more excuses to wear a dead animal on your back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your innovations?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We thought, “we must spare the animals<\/strong> because the farming conditions are horrible.” At Ecopel<\/strong>, we developed three major innovations of greener and more virtuous textile fibers for the environment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n