Here’s a note from PETA US’ Senior VP Dan Mathews, on Gwyneth Paltrow’s fur faux pas back in August:

“This weekend in Miami, with friends from Ocean Drive magazine (which runs PETA ads free of charge), I attended the grand reopening of the swanky Fontainebleau Hotel. I was able to chat with vegan mogul Russell Simmons and had a word with fur offender P. Diddy, but the nicest surprise was hearing Gwyneth Paltrow explain that she regrets having posed in a fur stole in an ad for Tod’s, which has appeared in magazines everywhere this fall.

After I told her how out of character it seemed for an eco-friendly, pro-vegetarian friend of Stella McCartney to so publicly promote fur, gracious Gwyneth replied, without a hint of defensiveness:

“That was awkward, and I’m glad you asked, because I do not wear fur at all. It was a daylong photo shoot on a boat near Capri, and there were all sorts of poses with all kinds of clothes—none with fur. During one set-up, a stylist came up from behind and draped a stole around my shoulders. I didn’t pay much attention to it, and when I noticed it was fur I assumed it was fake fur but did not ask, so it’s my fault. I was very surprised when they ended up using that one shot out of hundreds for the centerpiece of the Tod’s ads. I know it’s not a great excuse, but I hope you and your members understand.”

I explained that something similar had just happened to Kate Winslet who was led to believe that the fur rug she posed on for Vanity Fair was fake, and the magazine publicly apologized when the issue became public. It seems that the fur trade is so desperate to push pelts into magazines that they have resorted to doing it on the sly.

At the end of our conversation, Gwyneth said that although she understands why fur gets so much attention, she thinks vegetarianism is something people should focus on more. She said that both she and her husband Chris Martin are pretty much vegetarian, saying, “We know it’s the best diet for us and our kids, and of course for animals and the environment.” I’m sending her a link to GoVeg.com. Who knows—maybe one day she’ll use her lovely voice to speak up for PETA’s “Meat’s Not Green” campaign.”

Image: Babble / CC

Her role in Iron Man may have earned her some points with film critics, but Gwyneth Paltrow is getting nothing but rotten tomatoes from just about everyone else this week. The actress decided to throw her credibility to the dogs when she picked up a few dead animal skins to model for the Tods fall collection, including a fox fur shawl.

PETA US has written to Ms. Paltrow numerous times about the hideous cruelty on fur farms, including the fact that animals are often skinned alive and kept in tiny cages for so long that they exhibit stereotypical behaviours.

Here’s what our Ingrid Newkirk had to say about Paltrow’s latest hobby:

Paltrow may like to live the glamorous life, but there is nothing glam about paying others to slaughter animals for your clothes.

Image: Minconline / CC