- Title: Animal rights activists protest outside Louis Vuitton over crocodile skin use
- Date: 26th January 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JANUARY 26, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MODEL WEARING EMERALD LINGERIE AND WEARING CROCODILE MAKE-UP WALKING IN FRONT OF LOUIS VUITTON STORE MODEL WEARING CROCODILE MAKE-UP / MODEL HOLDING SIGN READING (French): "Louis Vuitton: Skin is not made for bags" VARIOUS OF PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES OF MODEL PETA FRANCE CAMPAIGNER, ISABELLE GOETZ, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) PETA FRANCE CAMPAIGNER, ISABELLE GOETZ, SAYING: "The reptiles are packed into concrete pits until they are 15 months old -- and which are sometimes narrower than the length of their bodies -- to be later skinned often while they are still alive. They cut into their necks and ram a metal rod down their spines to paralyse them. They are paralysed but continue to suffer because it is an atrocious and inhumane pain. Reptiles experts argue that with this method the animal takes several hours to die. So, the animal is in agony for several hours as they continue to cut and pull off its skin to produce bags." PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF LOUIS VUITTON STORE CLIENTS WALKING OUT OF LOUIS VUITTON STORE (SOUNDBITE) (French) PETA FRANCE CAMPAIGNER, ISABELLE GOETZ, SAYING: "We are here today to call on Louis Vuitton to end this cruelty and to use vegan materials that do not require animals to suffer. Exotic skins are not necessary. The message today is that skin is for the body and not for bags." CARS DRIVING BY LOUIS VUITTON STORE LOUIS VUITTON SIGN PEOPLE WALKING BY LOUIS VUITTON STORE GIRAFFE SCULPTURE HOLDING BAG INSIDE LOUIS VUITTON SHOP WINDOW ELEPHANT SCULPTURE CARRYING BAGS DISPLAYED INSIDE LOUIS VUITTON SHOP WINDOW LOUIS VUITTON SIGN MODEL STANDING IN FRONT OF LOUIS VUITTON STORE
- Embargoed: 9th February 2017 13:08
- Keywords: Crocodile leather Louis Vuitton fashion protest bags
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE AND UNKNOWN LOCATION, VIETNAM
- City: PARIS, FRANCE AND UNKNOWN LOCATION, VIETNAM
- Country: France
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Fashion
- Reuters ID: LVA00160PXCUF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
Animal rights activist group Peta protested outside a Louis Vuitton store in Paris on Thursday (January 26), alleging the luxury brand uses farms which mistreat crocodiles, whose skins are used to make handbags and other accessories.
A model wearing emerald lingerie and crocodile make-up carried a sign which read: "Louis Vuitton, skin is not made for bags" outside the store on the Champs Elysees Avenue.
"The reptiles are packed into concrete pits until they are 15 months old -- and which are sometimes narrower than the length of their bodies -- to be later skinned often while they are still alive. They cut into their necks and ram a metal rod down their spines to paralyse them. They are paralysed but continue to suffer because it is an atrocious and inhumane pain. Reptiles experts argue that with this method the animal takes several hours to die. So, the animal is in agony for several hours as they continue to cut and pull off its skin to produce bags," PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) France campaigner Isabelle Goetz told Reuters.
Luxury good maker LVMH in January said its Louis Vuitton brand had ceased all trading with Vietnamese farms alleged to have mistreated crocodiles. But a spokesperson for Peta told Reuters on Thursday the company was still using similar farms which employ the same techniques in Africa and the United States.
LVMH did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.
The animal rights group, which has long campaigned for changes by luxury goods groups, released a film which it said showed poor conditions at farms in Vietnam that used to supply LVMH. It did not name the farms concerned. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
