PETA Buys Shares in Louis Vuitton

Animal-rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently purchased shares in Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH)—the parent company luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton. While the purchase price and amount of shares is undisclosed, PETA’s Senior International Media Director Ben Williamson tells VegNews that their stake in the company is enough “to file shareholder resolutions and speak at meetings to push for an end to the sale of cruel crocodile skins.” Williamson explained PETA will attend shareholder meetings only when necessary “to put pressure on the company to end its sale of exotic skins merchandise.” As a board member of LVMH, PETA intends to bring awareness to the cruelty inherent in the exotic skins fashion industry and hopes other luxury brands will take note. “Whether it’s Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Prada, or any other brand,” Williamson says, “a fashion accessory made from the skin of a crocodile means that a living, feeling being likely experienced a miserable life and a violent, painful death.” Vegan materials—such as pineapple-based leather Piñatex—are now commercially available as alternatives to exotic animal skins.