MUMBAI: PETA India director, Poorva Joshipura, staged a protest outside a luxury Hermès store in Mumbai on Friday.
Dressed in an alligator skin costume and lying in a pool of red paint, Joshipura aimed to highlight the cruelty inflicted on reptiles bred for Hermès handbags and accessories.
The protest message, “Hermès: Accessories to Murder,” vividly depicted the suffering of crocodiles, snakes, and alligators confined in cramped, filthy conditions, ultimately killed for fashion.Joshipura urged Hermès to join the growing number of brands like Chanel and Stella McCartney who have banned exotic skins in favor of sustainable alternatives.
“Each Hermès handbag represents a sensitive animal tortured and slaughtered for a fleeting fashion statement,” stated Joshipura. “PETA India urges Hermès to embrace the future and use luxurious, vegan materials that don’t involve animal cruelty.”
Joshipura’s protest follows disturbing footage exposing the inhumane practices on farms supplying Hermès. Live reptiles were shown being sawed open and left to bleed to death, further highlighting the grim reality behind the brand’s luxury goods.
PETA India emphasized that three crocodiles are sacrificed for a single Hermès bag and called for the brand to follow the lead of ethical designers who have already rejected exotic skins.
