PETA outraged at Hindmarch’s Taxidermy Duckling Window Display

Correspondent (Fashion)

Animal protection charity PETA has criticised Hindmarch’s controversial window display in its Bond Street store. The display involves taxidermy ducklings, appearing to march behind one of Hindmarch’s bespoke handbags.

Critically acclaimed Anya Hindmarch has been celebrated for her creativity, attention to detail, craftsmanship and use of beautiful materials. Her bespoke handbags have a personalised touch and have attracted a loyal celebrity following; Alexa Chung and the Duchess of Cambridge among others have been spotted in possession of a Hindmarch.

PETA have expressed their outrage, hoping the display will “deter” customers rather than encourage them into the store. Sadly, I think their case is a lost cause. The window display has been praised by many in the fashion world, who applaud the creativity and brilliance of the taxidermist in this ‘simple narrative’.

Although some may think PETA are essentially making a mountain out of a molehill, others might agree that the use of ‘little animal bodies as cheap props’ is quite frankly horrifying; especially in this day and age! It seems we have come full circle; the use of animal skin and animal materials has been a widespread source of controversy within the fashion world for a very long time.

Fur in the 40’s and 50’s were all the rage! There was nothing like wearing a quality fur coat to depict regal elegance, class, power and sophistication. Fur stoles and wraps were a mark of the elite, making perfect aspirational purchases for women in the everyday walks of life. Legends like Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich were figures of beauty, donned in stunning fur pieces throughout the heights of their careers.

As time moved on, fur started to become a perennial source of controversy. Particularly throughout the 1990’s, charities such as PETA began to question the ethics of using fur for fashion purposes. Why should animals be skinned in the name of fashion? Nothing better brought this view to light than the Disney film 101 Dalmatians. The fashion world, personified by Cruella DeVil, was demonised when shown to be capable of using puppies for the aesthetic potential of their fur. Animal lovers all over the world, gasped in horror as Cruella sought to out to steal the puppies and use them to create a Dalmatian print coat. How could she!

But now as we move further into the 21st century fur has made a huge comeback. We are seeing an explosion of fur on the catwalks from fox to racoon to mink. Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren are all rooting for the animal hide. The moral outrage of the 90’s appears to be over.

And now, taxidermy is casually being used to sell handbags in window displays. It is no wonder PETA has felt the need to pipe up. Is a taxidermy duckling going too far? Yes they look adorable, and Hindmarch has defended their use by claiming the ducklings are antique with no harm being caused in the making of the display whatsoever. But is that the point?

The fashion world has clearly moved on from the days of condemning the use of fur, and other animal props. Taxidermists are also under strict provisions by law to use animals that have been killed in a legal manner. PETA could be fighting a losing battle. It is all down to a question of appropriation; when is it appropriate to use animal bodies as props? Is it really, appropriate at all?

Image Courtesy: By PETA; extracted by User:Stepshep (Vector extracted from [1]) [Public domain]; By –Kürschner (talk) 17:47, 23 January 2010 (UTC) (Own work) [Public domain] | Wikimedia Commons