Foxes, minks, lynxes, chinchillas, and other furbearing animals have found an unofficial sanctuary in West Hollywood, California. Just days after the city banned exotic-animal acts, it's getting ready to implement the country's first ban on the sale of fur this Saturday, which means that swanky stores such as Balenciaga, Alberta Ferretti, and Phillip Lim will have to clear fur from their shelves or face fines of up to $800.
While the Fur Information Council of America—which, in a delightful coincidence, is based in West Hollywood—is unsurprisingly foaming at the mouth and threatening to sue, some retailers are welcoming the change.
"We are on board with the ban as we understand the concerns and have realized that there are many other fabrics and fibers that can easily take the place of real fur," David Malvaney, cofounder of the upscale Church Boutique, told Women's Wear Daily. "We feel that the desire for real fur will lessen over time as more people become aware of the process to which the animals are subject, and I believe more cities will adopt a similar ordinance."
We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Mr. Malvaney.