Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – People from GAIA gathered at the Le Louise Hotel Brussels for a symbolic funeral service near the Brussels Louis Vuitton establishment this morning. The animal rights organization performed a funeral ceremony to interitively put to rest the fur industry.
GAIA hosted a symbolic funeral ritual outside the Le Louise Hotel in Brussels, which was located adjacent to the Louis Vuitton store. With the ceremony, the organization literally “buried” the fur industry, calling for an end to animal abuse in fashion production.
GAIA scattered the symbolic “ashes” of the fur industry in front of the Louis Vuitton store, accusing parent company LVMH of being the only major fashion manufacturer still economically supporting animal cruelty for fur production.
The gathering started at 10:30 AM at Le Louise Hotel as around 100 participants representing GAIA members and influencers and the singer Tourist LeMC joined the protest. A group of demonstrators marched with black mourning habits toward a nearby Louis Vuitton store while holding umbrellas and following a hearse that displayed a Louis Vuitton-branded urn.
According to GAIA chairman Michel Vandebosch, the fur industry has declined enormously “in less than 10 years”.
That is a good thing. Fur farming is prohibited in 15 European member states, including Belgium. Many fashion brands have also restricted the sale of fur, thanks to our efforts. That is very important.
Documents show that LVMH transferred an amount of 300,000 euros to the International Fur Federation (IFF), the international fur lobby, in 2024,
the GAIA chairman said.
Louis Vuitton and LVMH absolutely want to continue fur production and thus also continue animal abuse.
According to GAIA, research also shows that the fur industry continues to rely on “unacceptable cruelty to animals”. According to Vandenbosch,
LVMH and Louis Vuitton support, among other things, the “anal electrocution of foxes” and the “gassing of minks”. This really has to stop. LVMH must follow the example of fellow companies in the fashion sector,
says GAIA.
A recent poll commissioned by GAIA indicates that almost 3 out of 4 Belgians want to ban the sale of fur.
Companies like LVMH are perpetuating an outdated industry,
says the chairman.
“Consumers are demanding ethically responsible fashion.” According to Vandenbosch, however, it is clear that Louis Vuitton and LVMH “only have money in mind and want to make money on the backs of tens of millions of defenseless animals.”
What is the history of the fur industry and animal rights movement?
The fur industry has suffered major losses during the last ten years despite Belgium joining 15 other European nations in outlawing fur farming. Worldwide fur production ends in the deaths of over 1.5 billion animals yearly according to GAIA and it employs questionable killing methods that include gassing and anal electrocution. A recent poll conducted by GAIA shows that 74% of Belgians agree with banning fur sales in stores across the country.
Animal rights organizations led by GAIA which established in 1992 fight against fur cruelty since its inception as a marker of luxury goods. Major fashion houses such as Gucci and Prada and Versace have ended their use of fur yet LVMH as the owner of Louis Vuitton and Dior maintains its association with fur by delivering €300,000 to the International Fur Federation within 2024.
