Gucci has been called out by non-profit animal rights organisation World Animal Protection for "glorifying captive wild animals" in its latest Gucci Tiger collection in celebration of the Year of the Tiger. The luxury brand had released campaign images of models with real tigers superimposed into them. 

In a Facebook post, Gucci said the tigers were photographed and filmed in a separate and safe environment complying to the brand's policies and then featured within the campaign.  Third-party animal welfare organisation, American Humane, was also said to have monitored the set on which animals were present and verified that no animals were harmed.

The luxury brand added on its website: -

"In celebration of the holiday, different versions of the animal define a curated selection of ready-to-wear and accessories—highlighting the multifaceted nature of the Gucci universe. Rich with significance for the House, the animal expresses the creative director’s fascination with the beauty of nature."

Nonetheless, the luxury brand was called out by Nick Stewart, World Animal Protection's global head of wildlife campaigns, who said that Gucci is sending the wrong message through its ads - even if it has used digital technology -  by portraying tigers as pets and luxury items when they are wild animals who belong in their natural habitats. Steward and the team urged Gucci to "stop glorifying captive wild animals" in its campaigns and issue a statement confirming it recognises tigers belong in the wild.

 According to Stewart, tigers are under serious threat due to their exploitation as "pets" and tourism selfie-props; use in traditional medicine; poaching; habitat destruction and the climate crisis. Whether bred in captivity or captured from the wild, the stress these tigers undergo when forced to pose for photos is immense. He added:

“By depicting tigers as mere photo props, Gucci’s fashion campaign encourages consumers to treat them in the same harmful way.”

Elisa Allen, director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), also blasted Gucci saying it exploited the tigers and would encourage the illegal trade of the endangered animals. She said:

'Gucci is hopelessly out of touch with our current understanding of wild animals' needs and best interests.'

When asked what Gucci could have done better for the campaign, Gilbert Sape, World Animal Protection's head of wildlife campaigns commented that many other high fashion brands, including Prada, Dior and Bottega Veneta have released Year of the Tiger collections that do not exploit this intelligent, endangered animal. He added: =

"These brands have shown that the Lunar New Year theme can be communicated without cruelty to wildlife by instead using artist and influencer collaborations, and art installations.”

Prada, for example, is combining its "Action in the Year of the Tiger" campaign with an art project in the hopes of safeguarding the animal. According to Prada, the art project invites creative talents who are aged 30 and below in art schools in China (and beyond) to present a personal interpretation of the tiger. The luxury fashion house will also be making a donation to the China Green Foundation's "Walking With Tiger and Leopard” programme to drum up awareness for the wildlife and biodiversity in China. 

Meanwhile, Dior's artistic director Kim Jones worked with American artist Kenny Scharf to create The Water Tiger motif which is transformed into prints, embroidery, and patches. These will appear on shirts, knitwear, denim pants and down jackets in red, white, and blue.

According to Sape, the non-profit organisation believes the fashion industry can play a positive role in ending the exploitation of wild animals, adding: -

Brands that wish to show images of real tigers in their campaigns should show them in the wild, where they belong, and in no direct interaction with humans.

In February 2020, Gucci joined The Lion’s Share Fund, a unique initiative raising much-needed funds to protect endangered species and their natural habitats. "Gucci’s support and ongoing contributions are driving tangible on the ground results for this urgent cause," the luxury brand said.