COMPASSION | VOOM

Compassion

Fur-free runways, a heritage outerwear label changing course and design labs dreaming up the next generation of leather alternatives. Kindness is having a very good moment in fashion, and it looks wonderful on.

Silver-haired woman seated on a café step in camel vegan ankle boots and jeans, a sage vegan leather drawstring bag beside her

We have been fans of animal-friendly style since our early ECO BUZZ days, back when faux leather still raised an eyebrow or two. These days it raises a glass. The latest headlines read like a wish list come true, so we rounded up the stories worth knowing, plus a few cruelty-free pieces to wear while you tell your friends about them.

The runways went fur-free

September 2026 marked a first for New York Fashion Week: the Council of Fashion Designers of America announced that, beginning with the September shows, collections on the official NYFW schedule would no longer include animal fur. Across the Atlantic, the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana published voluntary guidelines inviting Milano Fashion Week brands not to show fur, starting with the September 2026 edition. Two of fashion’s biggest stages, one shared mood.

A heritage outerwear name joins in

In a move that made headlines, Woolrich Europe announced a fur-free commitment. According to the Fur Free Alliance, all new Woolrich Europe collections will be fur-free from January 1, 2027, and the brand has joined the Fur Free Retailer program, which counts around 1,700 fashion brands and retailers. Cozy, it turns out, never needed fur in the first place.

The report card is in

FOUR PAWS released its Animal Welfare in Fashion Report 2026, assessing 332 brands. The headline news: 82% of the brands assessed now have fur-free policies. The report also found that only 8% have committed to reducing animal-derived materials overall, which leaves plenty of room for the next chapter. Stella McCartney was among the top-rated names, which surprises exactly no one.

Meanwhile, in the lab

During Milan Fashion Week in September, Kering’s Material Innovation Lab and S|STYLE hosted a Wardrobe Edition showcase where ten emerging designers worked with next-generation materials, from mycelium to nanocellulose and brewed protein fibers. If this is a preview of what the future feels like, we would like a fitting.

How to wear it

Good news travels best in good shoes. The Olsen Haus Camel Stacked Heel Vegan Ankle Boot (US Sizes 7, 9, 10) is an exclusive collaboration between Olsen Haus and Vickerey, with a 3-inch stacked wood heel, a tone-on-tone zipper and a seventies swagger that pairs beautifully with dark denim. For longer strides, the Novacas Devi Tan Faux Suede Riding Boot (EU 40) brings faux suede, a 2-inch heel and a full inside zipper, made in Portugal.

Carry your compassion in sage. The Matt and Nat Robby Vegan Leather Envelope Clutch, Sage (13 x 7.5 x 1 in) is a zippered envelope clutch in 100% PU vegan leather, and the Matt and Nat Isshiki Vegan Leather Drawstring Crossbody Bag, Sage (9 x 13 x 7 in) is a drawstring style with an adjustable, removable crossbody strap. Both are lined with fabric made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, a detail we find very chic.

For him, the Bourgeois Boheme Adrian Vegan Nubuck Lace-Up Boot (EU 42, 44) pairs vegan nubuck with a waterproof upper and a substantial sole, made in Portugal for rainy-day errands. And for weekends, the Sub Urban Riot Kale Sweatshirt, White/Green (S, M, L) says it with a smile: a lightweight, year-round sweatshirt that is equal parts Ivy Leaguer and healthy statement.