British singer, actress and fashion muse Jane Birkin asked that her name be removed from the iconic Birkin handbag by French fashion powerhouse Hermès, the Associated Press reported. Her decision comes after an exposé by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) that reportedly shows how crocodiles are inhumanely treated on a farm that supplies Hermès with animal skin to construct its classic purse.
After Birkin had been "alerted to the cruel practices to make Hermes handbags carrying my name," she asked Hermès to "de-baptize the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place," according to a statement obtained by the AP.
The exposé went into grotesque detail about how crocodiles as young as one year old were shot and had their limbs removed while they were still alive and moving, according to PETA. The farm that the report focuses on is based in Texas.
"PETA, on behalf of all kind souls in the world, thanks Ms. Birkin for ending her association with Hermès, which makes grotesque handbags that were revealed in a PETA exposé to be constructed from the skins of factory-farmed and cruelly slaughtered crocodiles," said Ingrid Newkirk, PETA founder, in a statement obtained by Us Weekly.
Hermès responded to Birkin's request as well, according to the New York Times. The company said they too were shocked by the images and reports from the PETA exposé.
"An investigation is underway at the Texas farm which was implicated in the video. Any breach of rules will be rectified and sanctioned," the company said in a statement obtained by the Times. "Hermès specifies that this farm does not belong to them and that the crocodile skins supplied are not used for the fabrication of Birkin bags."
