Despite the best efforts of charity People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) real fur, skinned from real animals and some alive at the time, is back in fashion for the rich.

According to a happy Frank Zilberkweit, head of fur designer and retailer Hockley, real fur is back and Harrods, for those who can afford to shop there is going to be “awash with fur” from next month, owing to greatly increased demand from lucrative Asian markets which has pushed up the profit in skinning mink and fox as well as a billion rabbits and two million cats and dogs.

Ethics, for some, will always take second place to fashion.