Valentin Yudashkin Fall Winter 2013

The theme of Valentin Yudashkin’s Fall 2013 Show was an imaginative foray into a fantasy Russian Ice Palace complete with cool, snowy colors, beading that is meant to resemble icicles & Swarovski mesh, meant to emulate the glimmer of snow & ice. According to Vogue, “a painting of an icy waterfall situated in a snow filled forest served as a backdrop.”

I think that this is a beautiful collection in many ways – I love the layered silks, satins, intricate lace & snowflake patterns. I love the metallic taffeta, mirrored beading, silvery geometric silk. I’m crazy for the cashmere (Yippee the animals get to live!) – however I’m avoiding posting about the designs that incorporate the pelted furs as best I can. The materials list states “Fur” (which can be nearly ANY animal & also lists real Llama fur, white mink & black fox. 🙁

Also, included in this collection are real fur muffs, Llama fur boots, coats, pelted fur dresses, mink berets and pom pom earrings meant to look like bunny tails. Sorry, but in my opinion, not many women other than perhaps Lady Gaga, are going to feel comfortable knowing animals had to be tortured, abused and skinned so they could wear an alien-like array of ridiculous bunny butts on their head.

I’d personally appreciate more shimmering hair dressing or jewelry, cashmere berets or other accessories and let the animals keep their skins & the real fur trade die a definitive death once and for all. This may not be popular with everyone, but this is my blog and it’s how I feel about it. I love design & fashion but I have a deeper reverence for all life & animals & this practice is barbaric & perpetuates the horrific torture of innocent animals in the name of design or fashion. It’s shallow and wrong.

Is this what we want to teach our children regarding how we feel about ALL living beings & what is acceptable in the name of selfish vanity, especially in lieu of current technologies? Too many designers are doing this vs those that aren’t and I can’t imagine what they are thinking!

Here are most of my favorites (minus what may have been, if furs weren’t used).

See the full collection on Valentin Yudashkin

Valentin Yudashkin Fall Winter 2013 Ready to Wear

See More Paris Fashion Week Designer Collections