2021 Met Gala: Billie Eilish in Oscar de la Renta Makes Going Fur-Free the Star of the Red Carpet
“PETA is celebrating the end of the Meat Gala and hopes to see attendees embrace Earth- and animal-friendly fashion, too—meaning no fur, leather, cashmere, wool, or feathers,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said following August’s announcement that this year’s Met Gala would serve an all-vegan menu. And Billie Eilish, one of PETA’s 2021 Most Beautiful Vegans, didn’t let us—or, more importantly, other animals—down. In working with Oscar de la Renta on her 2021 Met Gala look, the vegan singer-songwriter ensured that her dress would be animal-friendly. Last month, PETA announced that the legendary designer would be going fur-free after decades of our runway disruptions, protests, some carefully thrown tofu cream pies, and pressure from activists worldwide. Now we know that Billie Eilish played a major role as well!
“Oscar de la Renta will terminate all fur sales at the urging of Ms. Eilish, who is a vegan and animal rights activist,” wrote The New York Times.
Knowing how easy and important it is to wow the crowd without killing or exploiting animals is second nature to Billie, whose online activism has included sharing with her then 40 million Instagram followers how minks suffer when they’re killed for fur slippers and false eyelashes as well as how sheep are mutilated in the wool industry. “[W]atch this please,” she urged her fans of PETA’s “P!nk Speaks Up for Sheep” video, which exposes the horrendous hidden cruelty of exploiting sheep for their wool.
So it’s no surprise that on “fashion’s biggest night,” Billie was dressed (compassionately) to impress and to help animals.
Is This the Most Animal-Friendly Met Gala to Date?
It’s a sign of the times: First an all-vegan menu that’s sure to set a trend for other fashion events to follow, then Billie making fur-free design the star of the red carpet—the days of Met Gala attendees wearing bits of tormented, dead animals and calling it “fashion” are numbered. Clearly, compassion is in fashion and always will be.
“I find it shocking that wearing fur isn’t completely outlawed at this point in 2021. I am so beyond thrilled that … the Oscar de la Renta team heard me on this issue and have made a change that not only makes an impact for the greater good for animals but also for our planet and environment, too. I’m honored to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on this matter. I urge all designers to do the same.” —Billie Eilish
After you enjoy your own vegan dinner during tonight’s Met Gala livestream, click below to learn more about the animals PETA, Billie, and so many others are speaking out for and to take action against their abusers:
