Karl Lagerfeld receives German PETA fashion award

Luxury fashion brand Karl Lagerfeld has received the German People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) fashion award.

The Best Designer Piece award went to the special edition K/Kushion Bag, made with cactus leather. Launched as a part of the Karl Lagerfeld x Amber Valletta capsule, the collection aimed to be eco-friendly.

Valletta, with whom the collection was made in collaboration with, serves as the brand’s sustainability ambassador.

“This award is an honor and proves that environmentally conscious styles can be just as chic and fashion-forward,” said Valletta. “I am sure we can continue to make significant progress in this respect through originality, cutting-edge design, and true innovation.”

The bag is also made from recyclable material, and is dyed with organic pigments. The cactus leather, which requires no herbicides, pesticides or even irrigation to create, was harvested from a native cactus in a manner that does not harm the local environment.

“This award underscores the incredible achievement that Amber and our team were able to attain with this collection,” said Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of Karl Lagerfeld. “The overarching success of the collection, including this award, means a lot to the brand as we continue to excite our customers with responsibly made fashion and accessories.”

The brand signed the G7 Fashion Pact in 2019, aiming to achieve key environmental goals as a part of its commitment to sustainability. A second sustainable collection, containing ready-to-wear apparel and accessories is set to be released in 2022.