Hermes distances itself from crocodile farm following Birkin request
French luxury goods house Hermes has denied the crocodile farm at the centre of allegations of cruelty is owned by the company.
Alerted by an animal rights group video which allegedly shows malpractice in a US farm, former actress Jane Birkin asked for her name to be taken off the ‘croco’ style.
She said: “I have asked the Hermès Group to rename the Birkin until better practices responding to international norms can be implemented for the production of this bag."
However, Hermes has responded in a statement: “An investigation is underway at the Texas farm which was implicated in the video. Any breach of rules will be rectified and sanctioned."
It continued: "Hermès imposes on its partners the highest standards in the ethical treatment of crocodiles. For more than 10 years, we have organised monthly visits to our suppliers.
"We control their practises and their conformity with slaughter standards established by veterinary experts and by the Fish and Wildlife Service and with the rules established under the aegis of the Uno, by the Washington Convention of 1973 which defines the protection of endangered species."
It added that it was “as shocked” as Ms Birkin to hear of the alleged mistreatment.
