“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
—Socrates
A recent headline about banning animal fur played in my head far longer than I expected.
It wasn’t because I wanted to debate politics or the fashion industry. Instead, it made me reflect on myself. I found myself thinking about the younger version of me who admired beautiful fur coats without a second thought. Back then, animal fur represented elegance. It belonged to glamorous photographs, old Hollywood films, and luxury boutiques. I never questioned it because, quite honestly, it was simply part of the fashion world I grew up admiring.
But this week, the news was everywhere: Vogue—the very publication that shaped so many of my early ideas about style—announced across the media that they have banned fur on the runway in Milan Fashion Week, 2026. It felt like a seismic shift. If even the world’s most influential fashion magazine could change its mind, what did that mean for the rest of us?
Reading the news, I realised just how much I have changed too.
That surprised me more than the headline itself.
One of the reasons I enjoy reading philosophy is that it encourages reflection rather than certainty. Socrates never built his reputation by giving people neat conclusions. Instead, he challenged them to think more deeply about the beliefs they carried throughout their lives.
If he had been walking beside me while I read that article, I imagine he would have smiled before saying very little.
He probably would have encouraged me to keep thinking.
Looking Back at My Younger Self
I don’t feel embarrassed by the younger version of myself.
She simply didn’t know what I know now.
When I was in my twenties, fashion represented creativity and confidence. I loved looking through magazines, discovering beautiful fabrics, and imagining how different pieces could transform an outfit. If someone had offered me a coat made from animal fur, I would probably have admired the craftsmanship before thinking about anything else.
The truth is, I never looked beyond the finished garment.
That wasn’t because I didn’t care about animals.
It was because I had never connected the two.
Life has a wonderful way of changing our perspective when we remain open to learning.
Nature Changed My Thinking
Over the years, my interests gradually expanded beyond fashion.
I became fascinated by mythology, philosophy, and the natural world. My pagan practice encouraged me to spend more time outdoors, paying attention to the changing seasons, birds, trees, and wildlife. Crows and ravens became far more than birds flying overhead. They became intelligent creatures with their own personalities. The same happened with every fox, rabbit, squirrel, and deer I encountered during long walks.
Without realising it, I was beginning to see animals differently.
They became part of the world in their own right—never just background scenery, mere symbols, or resources.
Simply as living beings sharing the same world.
The phrase “sentient beings” suddenly held much more meaning than it ever had before.
Years ago, those words might have passed straight over my head.
Today, their meaning feels much deeper.
When I think about animal fur now, I no longer picture a luxury coat hanging beneath warm lighting inside a boutique. My mind immediately wanders somewhere else. I think about the fox, the mink or the rabbit first. And I can’t help but think of my own chinchillas at home—their soft fur, their curious personalities, and how, for so long, animals like them were exchanged for expensive coats. It makes the issue feel personal in a way it never did before.
That single change has transformed the way I look at fashion.
Socrates Would Probably Keep the Conversation Going
I often wonder what Socrates would think if he walked through today’s luxury shopping districts.
I don’t imagine him criticising people.
That doesn’t feel like his style.
Instead, I picture him standing beside a shop window displaying beautiful coats made from animal fur, watching people stop to admire them.
Then, with his usual curiosity, he might turn towards me and say,
“What makes this beautiful?”
Not because he already knew the answer.
Because he believed the conversation itself mattered.
The more I think about that imaginary moment, the more I realise the question isn’t really about fashion.
It’s about values.
What do we admire?
What influences our choices?
When do our opinions begin to change?
Those aren’t questions anyone else can answer for us.
Fashion Still Brings Me Joy
One thing hasn’t changed.
I still love fashion.
I still appreciate beautiful tailoring, timeless coats and clothing that feels carefully made. Walking through vintage shops remains one of my favourite ways to spend an afternoon. Finding a well-made jacket hidden among ordinary rails still feels exciting.
The difference is that I now enjoy fashion for completely different reasons.
These days, I look for pieces that tell a story, not just the newest trend.
Rather than collecting more, I appreciate wearing favourites again and again.
I don’t see clothes as disposable anymore; I value garments that I wear for years.
Oddly enough, I don’t feel as though giving up animal fur—or choosing faux fur instead—has taken anything away from my style.
If anything, it has helped me understand what I genuinely find beautiful.
That feels surprisingly freeing.
Learning Without Judging
One reason I wanted to write this article is that I don’t believe changing your mind should feel uncomfortable.
We all grow.
We all discover new ideas.
We all look back at earlier versions of ourselves and realise we would make different choices today.
I certainly would.
That doesn’t mean my younger self was a bad person.
She simply hadn’t reached this point in her journey.
I find that thought reassuring.
Growth doesn’t usually happen overnight.
It happens through conversations, books, experiences, mistakes and moments that encourage us to look at familiar things from another angle.
For me, the discussion surrounding animal fur became one of those moments.
Looking Beyond the Garment
The older I become, the more interested I am in the story behind the clothes I wear.
Who made them?
How were they produced?
How long will they last?
Those questions have never crossed my mind twenty years ago.
Now they naturally become part of how I shop.
I don’t see that as losing my love for fashion.
Quite the opposite.
It has made fashion feel richer.
More thoughtful.
More personal.
Whenever I see animal fur mentioned in the news—especially with headlines like Vogue bans fur from the runway—I don’t immediately think about bans or changing legislation.
I think about how much my own perspective has evolved.
That reflection reminds me that none of us stays exactly the same throughout life.
And I think that’s something worth celebrating.
A Thought to Take Away
If Socrates really had been walking beside me while I read that headline, I doubt he would have told me whether wearing animal fur was right or wrong.
He would probably have encouraged me to keep questioning, keep learning and remain open to changing my mind.
Looking back, that’s exactly what happened.
I still enjoy beautiful fashion.
I still love discovering timeless style.
The difference is that I now find myself looking beyond the finished garment.
I find myself thinking about the life connected to it.
I never expected philosophy, nature and fashion to become part of the same conversation.
Yet here I am, grateful that they did.
What about you? Has your perspective on animal fur changed over the years, or do you still see it in the same way? I’d love to hear your reflections in the comments.
—Elegant Unhurried
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