Bottega Veneta CEO says leather will be animal-free

Leather could soon be a commodity that is entirely animal-free, Bottega Veneta CEO Claus-Dietrich Lahrs said on Thursday at the Condé Nast luxury conference.

The annual conference, which this year focused on the theme of “The Language of Luxury,” brings together industry leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs from around the world to discuss the state of fashion and luxury.

Lahrs, in conversation with conference founder the Vogue editor Suzy Menkes, stated in the far future, leather will no longer come from actual animals, but be available in a more humane form of fashion.

While Bottega Veneta may not be a pioneer in sustainability, back in 2014 it achieved 100 percent traceability for its iconic Cabat bag. In the same year the company received the highest classification - platinum - of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certificate, becoming the first company in the luxury world to be recognized by the ecological label.

“The entire building where we operate and where we see our artisans, it's about respect for not only ecology but also humanity and resourcing,” Mr. Lahrs told Menkes. “For instance, we have 80 women who work from home."

"We want to make sure they’re living,” he said. “Whatever we can do to keep sustainable, we will do it.”

He also discussed the importance of creating an ethical and nurturing business environment. “Whatever we do needs to work online and in digital first, then we do the work to produce all the other elements,” said Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, chief executive officer at Bottega Veneta. “Digital is always the first thing we look at.

Photo credit:Bottega Veneta boutique, source Bottega Veneta website