People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is ending its classic celebrity-backed “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign to pivot toward the wool, leather, and exotic skin industries.
“We were desperate to protest but were told that Japanese protesters just handed out leaflets,” Mathews tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “So we thought, ‘How can two people make a splash?’ We pretended we were a stripper couple who had flown to Tokyo to protest in our underwear.” Mathews says fur usage has recently declined in popular culture, pointing to Queen Elizabeth’s vow to stop wearing real fur on new clothing items, designers like Donatella Versace declaring fur dated, Macy’s decision to stop selling fur, and California’s fur ban. “We now want success in other areas — there is more work to be done,” he tells Yahoo Lifestyle, adding, “Fur is passé.”