New York Fashion Week Goes Fur-Free for the First Time on the Official Schedule

This season's New York Fashion Week, which ran September 10 to 15, was the first under a CFDA policy that no longer permits animal fur in collections on the official schedule. The Council of Fashion Designers of America announced the change in early December 2025, giving designers roughly nine months to adjust materials and show plans.

The policy covers fur from animals farmed or trapped for their pelts, including mink, fox, rabbit, karakul lamb, chinchilla, coyote and raccoon dog. The only exemption is for fur obtained by Indigenous communities through traditional subsistence hunting. Coverage of the announcement said fur would also no longer appear on the official schedule, website or social channels, and that the CFDA would continue to support designers with resources on alternatives.

Advocates called the decision a milestone for animal welfare, while some observers noted it largely formalizes a trend: little fur was already being shown in New York. The move aligns the city with London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Melbourne, which have their own fur-free policies.

Milan, by contrast, only asks brands to avoid fur. One commentary this month argued that sustainability is moving away from marketing and into materials, sourcing and production, a debate the fur-free season brought into sharper focus.

Reporting based on coverage of the CFDA announcement and fashion-week reporting from FashionUnited and Daily Sabah.