Vegetarian star's name used to promote leather handbags

Chrissie Hynde, the lead singer of the Pretenders, is an ardent vegetarian whose commitment to animal rights has led to her arrest. So imagine her horror at learning that a luxury Italian fashion house had created a line of leather handbags in homage to her rock star status.

A furious Hynde has threatened legal action against Hogan and urged fashionistas to boycott the company – part of Tod's, one of Italy's best known leather goods makers.

"At first, I thought this must be a joke, it's so outrageous and thoughtless," Hynde said of the bag, a red ponyskin number that is part of Hogan's rock icon-inspired Guitar Bag range.

In a letter to Tod's chief executive, Diego Della Valle, Hynde says: "Considering that The Gap asked me to participate in their "Everybody in Leather" campaign and I refused, and then Peta [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] and I busted The Gap for using black-market leather from India that same year, it's obvious that the bright sparks at Hogan didn't do their homework."

Hynde learnt of the stealth endorsement when The New York Times flagged up the new collection, which hits stores worldwide later this month. "The ponyskin Chrissie is a tribute to – no surprise here – Chrissie Hynde," the paper said, adding: "The marbleized leather-and-suede Angie presumably riffs on the dissolute glamour of the ultimate groupie and former Mrs Bowie."

Anxious to head off a potential lawsuit, Hogan has rushed to apologise to the Pretenders frontwoman.

"Unfortunately we did not realise that she was supporting Peta. We will officially apologise to her. We respect 100 per cent the ideas that Chrissie supports," Hogan's Daniela Pezzini said.

Ms Pezzini attempted to diffuse the row by claiming that the bag was not being marketed as the "Chrissie", adding: "The name of the bag is the Guitar Bag." But the company cited Hynde along with other rock legends including Keith Richards, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, when it launched the new range at last February's Milan Fashion Week.

Either way, Hynde is not happy. She says her name has been used "to promote a product I would never endorse – leather", telling Tod's billionaire owner, "I want absolutely nothing at all to do with such a violent, bloody industry."

In the past, Burger King has also felt the wrath of Hynde after asking if it could use the Pretenders' song "Brass in Pocket" in one of its commercials. Hynde, who is opening her own vegetarian restaurant in her hometown of Akron, Ohio, in a couple of weeks, refused permission.

Other pop stars to have refused the advertising shilling on ethical grounds include the vegan Moby, who turned down an ad for Knorr steak sauce, and The Rakes, who were asked by Burberry to pose for a campaign. Their vegan lead singer, Alan Donohoe, declined out of disgust that the UK fashion house uses fur in its designs.

Hynde vs Hogan

The Italian bag-maker Hogan made a mistake when it picked rock's first lady of protests, the Pretenders' frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, as its muse for a new collection of its Guitar Bags. The staunch animal rights activist and committed vegetarian is furious that she was the inspiration for a line made from leather.

The Rakes vs Burberry

The chance to model for a top UK fashion house? No thanks, said The Rakes' Alan Donohoe, whose vegan ethics mean that he is outraged by Burberry's insistence on using fur in its luxury designs. The band is boycotting Burberry's stores until the UK company "stops supporting cruelty to animals".

Moby vs Knorr

Not one usually known to shy away from the chance of earning a few extra quid for his talents – he licensed all the tracks on his album 'Play' to more than 100 advertisers – even Moby felt enough was enough when Knorr came knocking. The vegan singer turned down an ad for Knorr steak sauce.