Most fashion trends don't last beyond a season, but here's one ancient trend that's still en vogue: shunning leather for Yom Kippur. Of course, on the Jewish Day of Atonement, it would be tough to expiate while wrapped in the skin of an animal who had his or her throat cut and was possibly skinned and dismembered while still conscious. But PETA's shocking undercover video shows why wearing leather is never kosher.

We can all be benevolent to bovines every day of the year with drop-dead-gorgeous faux-leather clothes and accessories that no one had to drop dead for.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

Lea Michele is no stranger to accolades. The Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated star of Glee—who will also be honored for her work with PETA at Variety's Third Annual Power of Women luncheon later this month—gets rave reviews for her singing and acting talents. Lea's style is a showstopper as well, as she graces the cover of the fall fashion issue of Harper's Bazaar. But one thing that Lea leaves out of her wardrobe on and off the set is fur.

Fall is officially here, so before you think about wearing any fur or fur trim, check out Lea's anti-fur PSA and make your fashionable night out fur-free!

How would you celebrate your 58th birthday? If you're the indefatigable Chrissie Hynde, you would start a new band (JP, Chrissie & the Fairground Boys), put out a new album (Fidelity!), and develop a new eco-friendly clothing line (Fairground Luck).

Coming from Chrissie, the clothing line will of course feature T-shirts, skinny jeans, pleather jackets, handbags, and boots with a rocker-chick vibe and will be 100 percent vegan.

"Like most women, I love fashion and clothes," Hynde told Women's Wear Daily. "Everybody will be able to find everything they love in a nonleather version. Fashion should be fun."

No word on when Fairground Luck clothing will be appearing in a shopping mall near you, but Fidelity! hits online stores today, and we have a couple of copies available for some lucky PETA Files readers. Post a comment below telling us why you think Chrissie is the coolest, rockingest, sassiest animal defender ever to pick up a guitar, and the two comments that make us want to run out and protest with Chrissie will win the CDs.

The contest ends on August 27, 2010, and we'll select the winners on August 30, 2010. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Written by Alisa Mullins

A photo essay in the September issue of Harper's Bazaar features celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe—whose catch phrase is "I die"—being knocked off by various designers. We were struck by how easily the photo in which infamously furry Project Runway judge Michael Kors "bags" Zoe could be mistaken for a PETA ad:

I thought PETA had the market cornered on using corpses to highlight the fact that fur—and all animal skins—are dead, as in this spooky PETA ad featuring former Twin Peaks star Sheryl Lee:

Thanks, Michael, for helping make the case for us. Maybe this is the first step toward bagging fur and exotic skins.

Written by Alisa Mullins

Project Runway's eighth season premieres tonight, and coincidentally I just heard about an opportunity to let judge Michael Kors know what we think of his designs—which include real fur. Kors tweeted that he will be answering questions from his fans in a Facebook video on August 4. Let's take him up on his offer and flood him with questions, such as "Did you know that animals are skinned alive for their fur?" and "With all the luxurious faux furs that are available, why do you continue to kill animals?" or maybe "Would you submit to a brain scan to see if your empathy neurons are underdeveloped?"

Perhaps your question will be the nudge that Kors needs to get him to follow the lead of Runway star and PETA's 2009 Man of the Year Tim Gunn. Tim narrated PETA's video exposing what animals endure for fashion, he ensures that Project Runway's challenges are never fur-related, and he has worked to make a fur-free zone out of Liz Claiborne, where he is chief creative officer.

Let's all urge Michael Kors to say "auf Wiedersehen" to fur! E-mail your questions to: events@michaelkors.com

Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post

Congratulations to white-hot menswear designer John Bartlett, who just received the American Image Award for Designer of the Year from the American Apparel & Footwear Association. This trendsetting designer is as notable for his compassion as he is for his clothing—he recently announced that he has gone vegan and that the collection that he showed in February will be his last to include leather!

As Bartlett explained, "After working in the fashion industry for over 15 years, I have had a recent awakening of sorts and am committed going forward to discontinue all use of leather. I am very alarmed by the recent resurgence of fur on the runways and will be reaching out to my colleagues about the realities of this horrific aspect of our industry. I am presently working to develop a vegan shoe and accessory line and have gone vegan after discovering the devastating state of factory farming."

And if that's not enough to make you a fan, consider this: When asked by an interviewer what he would do if he weren't a designer, he said he thought that he would be working with dogs in animal shelters. Awwww. Way to go, John!

Written by Jeff Mackey

"It's the triumph of fake fur … because fake fur changed so much and became so great now that you can hardly see a difference."
—Karl Lagerfeld on his show at Paris Fashion Week

In a recent interview with the Telegraph, notorious fur pimp Karl Lagerfeld, the head designer and creative director for Chanel, spills about the triumph of fake fur. Lagerfeld's remarks have us hoping that it's the beginning of a new era for his fashion line. My favorite sound bite? "You cannot fake chic, but you can be chic in fake fur."

Written by Logan Scherer

Maine might be known for its harsh winters, but you'll never catch first lady Karen Baldacci wearing a real fur coat, no matter how far the mercury drops. PETA recently sent surveys to first ladies across the country asking whether they've joined Michelle Obama and France's Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in shunning fur, and Baldacci was the first to respond, stating, "I am an animal lover. Absolutely no fur. I do own faux [fur] but don't wear it often." She added, "[PETA] is a wonderful organization."

maine.gov / CC

For her refusal to support an industry that profits off the anal and vaginal electrocution of dogs, cats, foxes, minks, and rabbits, we're sending Baldacci a box of vegan chocolates donated by Maine's own Harbor Candy Shop.

Written by Logan Scherer

Yesterday morning, walking to the D.C. Metro along the tenuous paths carved through the high banks of snow, the usual birdsong was missing. Then I heard a sparrow chirp and found a group of them sitting under a restaurant awning. I had cereal in a bag with me, so I scattered it under the awning, and out hobbled a pigeon who had been under a table, her legs clearly frozen. At each step, she stumbled and had to right herself. Because she ate, I didn't want to scare her by attempting to catch her and feared she would flutter off into the snow, so I watched her eat and then moved on. Last night, making my way home, I found her back under that table, frozen, snow all over her back. In D.C. and many other cities across the nation, there is no water for the birds and no grass for them to reach under the many feet of snow. At PETA's Washington office and around town, including in Lafayette Park and Union Station, we are doing our best to help them. This morning I had an idea: I picked up whole-grain bread and stuck slices of it in the saplings on the streets.

With bad weather sweeping the nation, feeding wild animals can mean the difference between life and death for them.

Birds and countless other animals around the city are struggling to survive. It is crucial that in these dire weather conditions, you take action in behalf of animals who would otherwise be left to succumb to the elements by providing them with something to eat and making sure that they have access to fresh water.

Written by Ingrid E. Newkirk

Chinese actor and angelic beauty Sun Li—star of Painted Skin and Iron Road—is storing up treasures in heaven by posing in PETA Asia's latest anti-fur ad.

"Every piece of fur, even if it's 'just a little trim,' means that an animal suffered horrendously. With all the warm, stylish alternatives available, there's no excuse for wearing fur," said Li.

What's the only way to end cruelty on Chinese fur farms? Shun all fur forever.

Written by Logan Scherer