In 1815 when the British soldiers defeated Napoleon’s army at the battle of Waterloo, the Royal Guards, for the first time, adopted the towering bearskins headgear. However, perched on the heads of the guards for 200 years is also the tragedy of countless deaths of innocent black bears. After angry protests organized by animal rights activists spearheaded by Peta since 2006, the British Ministry of Defense has finally agreed to replace the bearskin for a more ‘humane’ alternative. While British designer Vivienne Westwood has been asked by Peta to produce a design for the synthetic fur hat, Stella McCartney and US designer Marc Bouwer have agreed to produce hats if MoD commissions them for the design. While we are waiting for luxurious faux fur hats for the Palace Guards, the North American bears could now roam freely in their natural habitat.
Via: ecorazzi
