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