Saks Fifth Avenue calls end to fur sales

By

Robin Driver

Published
Apr 8, 2021

New York-based department store retailer Saks Fifth Avenue has announced that it is closing its fur salons and plans to stop selling all products made using animal fur by the beginning of 2023.

 
According to the retailer, its fur salons, which sell and offer a range of cleaning, repair and storage services for fur products, will close by the end of its current fiscal year, which ends January 29, 2022. The closure will be implemented across both physical locations and e-commerce.
 
Saks is the latest U.S. department store retailer to stop selling fur, following in the footsteps of Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. This movement reflects a wider shift in the luxury and fashion industries, with a number of big-name designer brands – including Armani, Michael Kors, Versace, Burberry, Gucci and Prada – having discontinued the use of fur in their products over the past few years.

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The movement has even had an effect on legislation: the state of California banned the sale of new fur clothing and accessories in 2019, with the law set to come into effect in 2023. Both New York and Hawaii are also discussing proposed bans.
 
“We recognize that trends constantly evolve, and that the sale of fur remains a significant social issue,” said Saks Fifth Avenue chief merchandising officer Tracy Margolies in a statement cited by Bloomberg. “As such, eliminating it from our assortment is the right step for us to take at this time.”
 
In March, Saks Fifth Avenue parent company Hudson’s Bay announced that it is planning to split the department store chain’s e-commerce operations off as a separate entity. The decision follows a $500 million investment from private equity firm Insight Partners in Saks’ online business.