Naked Corpses to Toronto Fashion Week: ‘We Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead in Leather’

Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin, Says PETA

For Immediate Release:
October 21, 2013

Contact:
Allison Lakomski 202-483-7382

Toronto — Lying naked in coffins with their faces painted like skulls and holding signs that read, “I Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead in Leather,” three bodypainted PETA members will expose the cruelty behind leather outside Toronto Fashion Week on Tuesday. PETA is asking Fashion Week attendees to cross leather bags, shoes, and other items off their shopping lists and choose luxurious, cruelty-free pleather instead.

When:   Tuesday, October 22, 11:30 a.m.

Where:  David Pecaut Square, King Street W. between John and Simcoe streets, Toronto

Most leather comes from developing countries such as India and China, where animal welfare laws are either non-existent or not enforced. Many animals who are killed for their skin endure castration, branding, tail-docking, and dehorning—all without any painkillers. At slaughterhouses, many animals are skinned and dismembered while they are still conscious. In addition, tanneries are notorious for polluting the surrounding land and water, and tannery workers are often exposed to excessive amounts of deadly chemicals, including arsenic.

“Every time you buy something made of leather, you sentence a cow to a lifetime of suffering and put your stamp of approval on pollution,” says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. “With so many fabulous pleather jackets, bags, and shoes, there’s absolutely no excuse to wear leather.”

PETA’s exposé of the fur and leather industries, narrated by fashion guru Tim Gunn, can be seen here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.