PETA condemns Fendi's "haute horreur" as the brand announces debut Haute Couture fur collection

The Italian fashion house will make its couture debut in July with a special fur collection.

Fendi's announcement today that it will present its first ever Haute Couture collection in July has been condemned as "shameful and pathetic" by PETA.

Haute Fourrure as the brand has dubbed it, has been described as the ultimate display of the house's creativity focusing on its expertise in fur.

Animal rights organisation PETA has been quick to condemn the announcement, in a statement made to The Independent, PETA UK Director Mimi Bekhechi said: "Fendi's "haute horreur" and their hiring of Karl Lagerfeld, who dresses like an undertaker and enjoys putting corpses into his collections, is all quite shameful and pathetic.

"It's time for new innovative designers, working with cutting-edge technologies, to produce exquisite vegan fabrics that don't bleed, like new favourite Shrimps, and move fashion out of grandma's closet and into the future."

The show will also mark a special anniversary for the brand; 50 years of Karl Lagerfeld working with the label - the longest relationship between a designer and a fashion house.

“For me, Fur is Fendi and Fendi is Fur, Fun Furs! Fendi is my Italian version of creativity. The Fendi Haute Fourrure fashion show is the opportunity to stage the Royal Furs of Furs”, commented Karl Lagerfeld who is Creative Director of the brand.

The show will take place during the presentation of Haute Couture collections in Paris in July.