As a PETA intern, I've had the opportunity to tour several cities protesting everything from the dairy industry to glue traps. But the most attention-grabbing of all the tours I've taken part in involved setting up a steel-jaw trap in cities throughout the Midwest, including Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, and Lansing.

That's me on the left!

Every year, millions of animals are drowned, gassed, electrocuted, and even skinned alive to produce fur coats and trim, yet there are no federal laws to protect animals on fur farms. Covered in blood and wearing a fur coat that was donated to PETA, I had the opportunity to educate people about the horrors of the fur industry by pretending to be trapped like an animal captured for his or her fur.

I was able to walk away from the trap unharmed. Animals aren't so lucky.

Some passersby looked on in fear, some stopped to make sure I was breathing, and others thanked us for speaking up for animals. One guy even purchased a vegetarian lunch because of our demonstration.

I'm glad that my participation inspired one person—if not many—to be more compassionate.

Many top retailers and designers refuse to sell or work with fur, but callous designers such as Giorgio Armani ignore the fact that synthetics are more practical and just as luxurious—not to mention cruelty-free.

My PETA internship has been a tremendous experience that's allowed me to educate people about the fur industry, meet concerned citizens from around the country, and fight for the rights of animals everywhere. How about you give it a go?

Posted by PETA intern Stephanie Boardmen

Our suggestion? "Every Bunny Loves Raymond!" More than just a cute slogan, we're suggesting that Raymond adopt the motto and ban the sale of all fur. It would be a win-win sitch for everyone involved: No bunny would get skinned alive for a bit of trim, and Raymond would put itself on the map by becoming the first fur-free town in U.S. history.

By adopting this slogan and declaring itself fur-free, Raymond would be thumbing its nose at designers like Armani who continue pimping pelts. It would also be reminding citizens and visitors that no bunny, fox, chinchilla, mink, dog, or cat likes the idea of winding up as somebody's collar or cuff.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

theage / CC

Great news for all you PETA Files readers down under: Australian fashion designer Alannah Hill has agreed to stop using rabbit fur in her collections.

Good on ya, Alannah!

The girly-chic designer had a change of heart after hearing from thousands of PETA Asia-Pacific supporters who got fired up about fur after watching video footage that documents disgusting conditions on a Chinese fur farm.

Alannah joins the ranks of compassionate designers like Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, and Tommy Hilfiger, who have all sworn off fur.

Hopefully, other designers (Armani, are you listening?) will soon follow suit.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

As all you fashionistas out there are probably aware (and everybody else probably isn't), Giorgio Armani opened a boutique in New York City this week. Paris Hilton and Kanye West (the man who has an employee whose sole—pun intended—job is wrangling the rapper's 400-and-some-odd shoes) were thrilled. Bunnies on fur farms? Not so much.

Of course, we couldn't let Armani's little shindig go off without a hitch, so we sent a veritable brigade of bunnies to fight for their liberté and egalité. As you'll note in the photos below, they were an oddly cheerful bunch, even though they had to stand outside in the cold for upwards of four hours—until the last scrap of red carpet was rolled up. At that point, they lined up in formation and marched down the street waving their signs, followed by a contingent of photographers who must have thought they'd died and gone to Easter Bunny heaven.

I wonder—if 16 giant white bunnies show up on a Manhattan sidewalk, does that mean that spring is only a couple of weeks away …?

Posted by Alisa Mullins

At the risk of incensing the GEICO caveman, we rounded up some "Neanderthals" to protest outside bunny butcher Giorgio Armani's Chicago boutique earlier this week. As you'll note in the photos below, they carried signs reading "Only Cavepeople Wear Fur," but I think even cavepeople would balk at supporting the disgusting rabbit fur industry, as Armani does. We've revved up our campaign against the cold-hearted designer after he broke his pledge to remain fur-free and started using rabbit fur trim on skirts, jackets, and even toddlers' snowsuits, of all things.

Our cavepeople got a warm reception in chilly Chicago. The staff of the Park Hyatt Hotel, which shares the same building as Armani's boutique, assured us that the hotel is fur-free.

If you're fed up with Armani's support of an industry that rips the skin off the backs of rabbits, use this form to tell Armani to drop fur now!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

After once-fur-hag Donna Karan stopped designing fur, we decided to shine the spotlight on someone who hadn't got the message: Giorgio Armani. After he said he had been convinced to stop using fur but then reneged on his promise, we've started running Pinocchio Armani campaign tours to point out his lies and, more importantly, the blood that he still has on his hands.

Our campaigners and local members lined the sidewalk outside the famous Bellagio Hotel this week with traffic-stopping signs reading "Fur Is Dead" and "Pinocchio Armani." Check it out:

Do you have a message for Armani? Leave a comment to let us know!

Posted by Christine Doré

Donna Karan, the target of one of our campaigns, has announced that her fall 2009 lines will be fur-free and that she has "no plans" to use fur in the future!

PETA is now calling on activists and supporters to put the brakes on our "Donna Karan: Bunny Butcher" antics, which have included protesting outside her boutiques, crashing her runway show, and exposing her cruel use of fur online. This is a win for the real fashion victims—animals, who are routinely skinned alive for their pelts—and will allow us all to focus on Armani and other targets while keeping an eye on Donna Karan's 2010 collection.

Karan's announcement came days after PETA launched our (now offline) DonnaKaranBunnyButcher.com Web site and after mega–fashion guru Tim Gunn sent Karan and designer Giorgio Armani a video that he narrated for PETA showing animals skinned alive for their fur and urged them to open their eyes to the violent and bloody fur industry.

While Donna Karan has followed in the footsteps of top designers—including Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein—Armani still refuses to stop using fur. Armani claims that he "only" uses fur from rabbits who are butchered for meat. We hope that you will take this opportunity to contact Armani to tell him that while the meat of gentle rabbits killed for their fur in China is sold to be eaten, the suffering that they endure is exactly the same. Point out that the cruelty depicted in this video on fur farms in both China and France show animals who are killed for both fur and meat.

If you're under the age of 21, please send a message to Armani through our youth campaign site, peta2.com.

Posted by Joel Bartlett

Any other Project Runway fans out there? Yep, that's what I thought! I am just dying for them to announce the date for the new season. I mean, yeah, the clothes are awesome and the drama is entertaining, but I'll admit that the real reason I tune in is to see the true genius behind the show: Tim Gunn. Know what his next project is? Convincing Donna Karan and Giorgio Armani to forgo fur! Yes, that's right. America's best-known arbiter of good taste and style has just narrated PETA's new exposé of fur farms—including just-obtained footage of rabbit fur farms in China, where Karan and Armani both source their pelts. Check out the video here:

Because the designers have refused to meet with PETA to view the footage, Gunn has just sent it to them with a personal plea. Why is the fur flying over Chinese pelts in particular? The world's largest exporter of fur is now China—where foxes, rabbits, and cats and dogs are often skinned alive.

"Any designer in the fashion industry who does not want to watch the PETA video and see exactly what happens to animals and how they're treated and how the product that they use comes to the marketplace I believe is egregiously irresponsible," says Tim. "It is critically important that we all be educated about these matters and then make choices."

And it gets better: Tim also sat down with us for an exclusive Q&A!

There. I told you he's a genius! If anyone can make Donna Karan and Giorgio Armani "make it work" without using the skins of dead animals in their collections, he can. Carry on! (I just wanted to say that …)

Posted by Lianne Turner

The wonder crusaders over at PETA Asia-Pacific have been crossing country borders nonstop for the sake of animals. Their efforts as of late have reached crowds of people in China and Australia, and even more individuals are tuning in via news circuits and the Internet. We say, rock it, PETA A-P! Of course, we fancy our readers to be in the know about everything animal rights—so we've compiled a few photos of our affiliate's latest efforts below. Enjoy!

PETA Asia-Pacific's naked holiday chicks assembled outside a KFC in Adelaide, Australia, where they encouraged bystanders to have a cruelty-free holiday. The brave ladies wore nothing but a banner that read, "Make It a Merry Chickmas: Boycott KFC!" The back of the banner read, "Turn Your Back on KFC Cruelty."

In Hong Kong, locals were greeted by sexy angels outside the Giorgio Armani flagship store. The wretched designer buys his rabbit fur from China—which is now the world's largest fur exporter. PETA Asia-Pacific's investigation of rabbit fur farms in China revealed that the fur industry there is one in which cruel practices—such as shooting animals in the head with electrical stun guns—are rampant.

The Asia-Pacific crew held another Armani demonstration, this time in Sydney, Australia. Activists held oversized posters of the designer sporting an extra-long Pinocchio-esque nose because he went back on his earlier promise to remove fur from his collections permanently. I guess when you're already an animal abuser, lying doesn't bother your conscience that much.

Now, don't those pics just make you want to get out there and do something? Well, get to it!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

We're not the only ones who are severely frustrated about Giorgio Armani's failure to keep his word and remain fur-free! Sir Paul McCartney—pictured here with Giorgio at one of Stella McCartney's fashion shows—is the latest to respond to PETA's action alert.

© AP Images/Francois Mori

Sir Paul is adding his voice to a chorus of celebrities who are upset over Armani's penchant for rabbit pelts—celebrities such as the Andersons (Gillian and Pamela, no relation). These lovely ladies kicked off PETA's "Get Armani off Fur" campaign—Pam hosted a PETA launch event during Fashion Week in Italy, and Gillian narrated PETA's horrific rabbit fur farm exposé.

We hope that Sir Paul, Gillian, and Pam won't be the only famous voices to speak up against Armani's fur fixation. PETA Vice President Dan Mathews has written to many Armani-wearing stars, including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Glenn Close, and Cate Blanchett, urging them to use their influence with the designer to get him to keep his fur-free pledge.

Oh yeah, and one other thing Dan did—remember that "Pinocchio Armani" ad? Well, Dan unveiled the new posters outside Armani's flagship store in Milan this week. Here he is with a local activist there—check out those giant rabbits!

Those big bunnies are just two blocks from Armani's store—I guess they'll be keeping an eye on him … and so will we! Stay tuned for more Armani news—and don't forget to take action!

Posted by Amanda Schinke

So as you know, Giorgio Armani has been on PETA's bad list lately. Promising to go fur-free and then reneging on the idea altogether in order to make rabbit-fur outfits for babies really just isn't something we appreciate (I think the animals would agree …).

Hearing this loud and clear, A-list actress and compassionate PETA friend Gillian Anderson really came through to lend her support to this issue. Her voice can now be heard narrating a shocking, moving investigation video that takes you into the depths of rabbit fur farming.

The video was unveiled earlier today at a news conference outside Armani's Michigan Avenue store in Chicago. I strongly encourage you to watch this video and pledge to be fur-free. Gillian, PETA, and all the rabbits of the world will thank you for it.

Posted by Christine Doré

Maybe you remember this phrase from your childhood: "Liar, liar, pants on fire, nose as long as a telephone wire."

Well, does that apply to Giorgio Armani, or did he hit his head—causing him to have a drastic about-face? Because the Armani who was once swearing off fur is now dressing babies in it just one short year later. Note to Armani: Rabbits are furry animals no different from dogs, cats, foxes, and minks.

So, shoppers who were on their way into his flagship store in Milan were treated to a glimpse of how Armani looks to us now that he apparently can't break his rabbit habit. PETA Europe posted this rather pointed portrayal of Pinocchio Armani just outside the store:

Because, seriously, what kind of person learns about the cruelty of the fur industry, pledges to be fur-free, and then decides to kill animals for "fashion" anyway? You tell us.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

drew / CC

PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews fired off one of his killer letters again to Ms. Close after returning from a tense (to say the least) meeting in Milan, at which the Armani brass basically told him that they were quite reluctant to let go of their butchered-bunny designs. "Maybe Armani was inspired by Glenn Close's bunny-butchering character in 'Fatal Attraction,'" says Mathews. "Now that our talks are broken off, we're bringing the message to the stars who wear Armani that his clothes come with some unwanted baggage."

Here's the letter:

Glenn Close c/o Catherine Olim

Dear Glenn,

Greetings from PETA, where you have many fans. Congratulations on your Emmy win! Since you wore Giorgio Armani to the Emmy Awards, we are obliged to alert you to a distressing situation that has arisen with the company. We've been in talks with Armani for the past few years, asking the designer to drop fur. We showed his senior design team PETA's four-minute video—which documents how animals on fur farms are strangled, electrocuted, and skinned alive—and a few months later, Armani told Time Magazine that his meetings with PETA, "convinced me not to use fur." Unfortunately, he's gone back on his word; his new collections are full of fur and even include fur-trimmed coats for babies and kids.

We ask that you please use your considerable influence with Mr. Armani to urge him to keep his word and leave fur out of future collections. We also ask that you consider wearing fashions from some of the wonderful fur-free designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Stella McCartney.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Dan Mathews
Vice President
PETA

Posted by Christine Doré

timeinc / CC

WRONG!

Armani's fall collection includes (gag!) fur coats for babies (so, so wrong), floral-printed fur coats (don't try and dress up what it really is), fur-hemmed skirts (no thank you!), and fur-trimmed jackets (hell to the no). As you can imagine, we're going postal up in here. But instead of disrupting his shows during Fashion Week in Milan last week, PETA is aiming higher—at the stars, in fact.

PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews, in all his fabulousity, hit 'em where it hurts …. TomKat anyone?!

Check out the full text of Dan's letter to Tom and Katie below, and make sure to leave a comment to tell us what you think.

PETA is sending similar appeals this week to Kristin Chenoweth, Glenn Close, and Heidi Klum, all of whom wore Armani to the Emmys on Sunday. Ew, right?

September 23, 2008

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
c/o Jeff Raymond

Dear Tom and Katie,

Greetings from PETA, where we've always admired your fur-free personal style. Because you are among the most highly visible wearers of Giorgio Armani, we are obliged to alert you to a distressing situation that has arisen with the company. We've been in talks with Armani for the past few years, asking the designer to drop fur. We showed his senior design team PETA's four-minute video—which documents how animals on fur farms are strangled, electrocuted, and skinned alive—and a few months later, Armani told Time magazine that his meetings with PETA, "convinced me not to use fur." Unfortunately, he's gone back on his word; his new collections are full of fur.

Most shockingly, his collections include fur coats for babies and kids. Please be vigilant about any packages that Armani sends for Suri, as they could include bunny fur from his toddler lines. We imagine that Suri, like other children, has a natural affinity for animals, which is why we find it shocking that Armani is not only breaking his fur-free promise but also trying to lure children into fashion derived from skinned rabbits. We also ask that you please use your considerable influence with Mr. Armani to urge him to keep his word and leave fur out of future collections and that you consider wearing fashions from some of the fur-free designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Stella McCartney.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Dan Mathews
Vice President
PETA

Posted by Christine Doré