GETTY All of Armani's labels will be fur free from the coming autumn-winter collection

The brilliant fashion house guru is being hailed for making the most powerful message ever that killing animals to look good is wrong. All Armani’s labels will be 100 per cent fur-free from the coming autumn-winter collection onwards and follows a similar commitment by Hugo Boss. Armani’s promise to stop using fur follows on from working closely with Humane Society International and the Fur Free Alliance, a coalition of 40 animal protection organisations in 28 countries.

In a statement today, the 81-year-old designer to the stars declared: “I am pleased to announce that the Armani Group has made a firm commitment to abolish the use of animal fur in its collections. “Technological progress made over the years allows us to have valid alternatives at our disposition that render the use of cruel practices unnecessary as regards animals. “Pursuing the positive process undertaken long ago, my company is now taking a major step ahead, reflecting our attention to the critical issues of protecting and caring for the environment and animals.”

GETTY Armani is the latest designer to drop fur following Hugo Boss

The Italian designer’s pledge was welcomed by animal welfare campaigners.

This move by Armani is probably the most powerful message that killing animals for their fur is never fashionable Claire Bass

Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/United Kingdom, said: “Armani is the first word in luxury fashion, and so it is hugely significant for the global fashion industry that Armani has pledged to remove animal fur from all his new collections going forward. “Those designers such as Prada, Fendi and Michael Kors who continue to put animal suffering on the catwalk are looking increasingly isolated, with this move by Armani probably the most powerful message yet that killing animals for their fur is never fashionable.” Humane Society International says more brands and designers, such as Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, are “shunning fur and switching to cruelty-free alternatives”.

HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL Foxes are often slaughtered for their fur

It warns that high street consumers to remain vigilant as often real fur products are being mislabelled as synthetic. Last month, Humane Society International released horrifying footage of foxes being slaughtered to make fur trims for coats and hats. The film, released to coincide with the London Fashion Show, revealed scenes of foxes being electrocuted in their mouths and their bodies still twitching after being clubbed over the head. It had been shot at a squalid Chinese fur farm and footage showed line-upon-line of bleak metal cages with animals teetering on wire mesh to await their fate. *** - GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - ***

HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL Humane Society International released these images of foxes being slaughtered