Fur News

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus, among the last holdouts, stops selling fur

The future in fur is fake fur.

Zackary Drucker/The Gender Spectrum Collection

After decades of protests by PETA, Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Group will stop selling fur.

According to a release, the retail group will be closing down all of their 22 fur salons and has committed to the elimination of all products containing animal fur by early 2023.

This policy applies to all NMG brands, including Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

Neiman Marcus joins a long list of retailers and designers who've ditched fur in recent years including Bloomingdale's, The Gap, H&M, J Crew, and most recently Macy's. Entire cities have banned the sale of fur as well, including Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Fur is considered cruel because of the methods involved in obtaining the pelts: They come from animals who have either suffered on severely crowded factory farms or else are caught in steel-jaw traps and/or bludgeoned to death.

Neiman's downtown Dallas store has been the target of countless protests, dating back to sit-ins in the '80s by PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk, followed in ensuing years by colorful events such as protestors wearing nothing but their own skin in the dead of winter, urging Black Friday shoppers to avoid buying fur.

The change follows Neiman Marcus' recent decision to create a dedicated team to identify, improve, and disclose performance on material Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) issues across its business, including topics like animal welfare.

The forthcoming ESG strategy is expected to place a strong emphasis on their ability to bring luxury to life but with sustainable and ethical products.

In a statement, Neiman Marcus Group CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck says that the company worked with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) on its commitment to exit fur and drafted an Animal Welfare Policy that aligns with the Fur Free Alliance guidelines.

"We are delivering an ultimate luxury experience for our customers and their evolving preferences," van Raemdonck says. "We are updating our assortment to feature multiple sustainable and ethical luxury fashion categories."

"It is clear the future is fur-free, and that includes the ultra-luxury space," he says. "As a leader in luxury retail, NMG has an opportunity to help build a better future for our industry. We’re grateful to the Humane Society of the United States for their partnership."

"We welcome this important policy from Neiman Marcus Group," says PJ Smith, director of Fashion Policy for HSUS. "The company’s fur-free pledge represents a transformational change in retail, and we applaud NMG for making progress on an issue that so many consumers care deeply about."

Neiman Marcus Group plans to work with luxury brands creating new and innovative ultra-luxury concepts that satisfy the discerning tastes of luxury customers. Existing fur salons will be converted into spaces customized for modern luxury experiences.

PETA ended its "Fur Is Dead" campaign in 2020 after 30 years, although they still protest fur; they're focusing on other animal-derived products such as wool and leather, and on the use of animals for testing.

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Holiday shopping

New giant Quge-tip from Dallas-based Q-tip sells out in 24 hours

Q-Tip

Q-tip's Quge-tip

A giant version of an everyday product has sold out in 24 hours: Called the Quge-tip, it's a 6-foot version of the iconic Q-tip, the beauty staple that's been around for more than a century.

Measuring nearly six feet from tip to tip, Quge-tips feature enlarged swabs and a sturdy stick modeled after the original Q-tips swabs design.

The Quge-tip was released on December 9 and sold exclusively online in limited quantities for $35. Alas, according to a spokesperson for Dallas-based Elida Beauty, the parent company of Q-tip, the product flew off the virtual shelf.

"Now that they’re sold out, Q-tips is surprising fans with social giveaways," the spokesperson says.

The Quge-tip is one of two products just released by Dallas companies — both of which feel like they could be April Fools Day jokes — except that both are for real.

Dave & Buster's Claw PurseD&B

Dave & Buster's Claw Purse
The Dallas-based eatertainment chain is leveling up holiday gifting with the debut of the Claw Purse, a limited-edition purse designed by Chain. The Claw Purse is inspired by one of the brand's most iconic games — the claw machine — and according to a release, is "the season's most unexpected fashion statement" for anyone who loves bold style, nostalgia, and a little bit of play.

To mark a milestone for the brand, the Claw Purse launches alongside the expansion of Dave & Buster's Human Crane, a viral, full-body game experience that turns guests into the claw — where they are lowered down into a bin of huge prizes to grab whatever they choose.

Beginning in December 2025, the Human Crane will appear in over 112 Dave & Buster's locations with additional stores rolling out nationwide throughout the season.

But back to the purse: It made its debut at Chain's Holiday House, an event at the company's HQ in L.A., where "it quickly became a crowd favorite among creators, stylists, and culture icons," or so says the release. Which also calls this "the first creative collaboration" between Dave & Buster's and Chain, bringing together Dave & Buster's beloved gameplay with Chain's signature culture-forward point of view. So maybe there will be more collaborations in the future.

Q-tip's Qugetip Q-tip's Quge-tipQ-tip

Q-tips Quge-tips
The Quge-tip is a nearly six-foot supersized version of the "iconic" Q-tip cotton swab, first invented in 1923 and the go-to for beauty, baby care, first aid, cleaning, and everyday moments that call for a gentle, precise touch.

The six-foot Quge-tip features enlarged swabs and a sturdy stick modeled after the original Q-tips swabs design — offering a new way to experience an iconic tool at a dramatically large scale, designed as a playful, oversized tribute.

The release nots that Quge-tips tap into a rising trend of consumers using Q-tips swabs for alternative tasks, which now make up a meaningful share of cotton swab use: From dusting high shelves and cleaning hard-to-reach corners to large-scale art projects.

The six-foot Quge-tip features enlarged swabs and a sturdy stick modeled after the original Q-tips swabs design — offering a new way to experience an iconic tool at a dramatically large scale.

The company insists it's a real thing — they do a very funny video mocking late-night ads for cheap products — and that after debuting at qugetips.com on December 9, they sold out of their initial run. One note: They do not reveal how many Quge-tips were sold. It could just be, like 10 that were for sale.

There's a chance they'll be doing another issue, and they encourage interested shoppers to diligently follow their social media.

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