Fashion that Makes Us Sad: Proenza Schouler’s $4,600 Bambi Bag

The Fall 2012 Proenza Schouler bags are made from fawns like Bambi
The Fall 2012 Proenza Schouler bags are made from fawns like Bambi

When it comes to fashion, real fur and exotic animal skins make us cringe because we know luxury brands kill in cruel and extreme ways and use only very select portions of the creatures they find desirable, discarding the rest. (For example, it takes three or four crocodiles to make one Hermes Birkin bag because they only use a few parts and they like to line up the scales, so they now have their own farms to raise and kill up to 12,000 crocodiles a year.) Sadly, this winter we've become used to seeing lots of fox and rabbit fur accessories, as well as lizard and alligator handbags. But Proenza Schouler has taken fur to the next level for their fall 2012 handbag line.

Their Akira gym bag sells for $4,595 and the price tag isn't the only scary thing about it. It's made from deerskin, and if you've ever watched Bambi you know the white spots are commonly found on baby deer to help them camouflage from predators. Most species of deer lose their white spots by the end of their first winter, which means the fawns used to make these Proenza Schouler bags were probably not even one year old when they were killed. Can you say fashion that makes us SAD?! So sad. We grew up with these sweet creatures in our backyards!

A matching deerskin clutch from Proenza Schouler
A matching deerskin clutch from Proenza Schouler

Those looking for baby deer on a "budget" can pre-order the Chieko deerskin clutch for $1,215 (at left).

We love paying tribute to our favorite wild animals with faux leopard, cheetah, and zebra prints which are available everywhere. We hope fashionistas will think twice, and perhaps about Bambi, before naming these deerskin purses the new "It" bags.

Related links:
8 Ways to Rock Faux Fur This Season
Fashion that Makes Us Sad: $1,000 Cat Print Bag Made of Animal Fur
Yes! The $35 Hermes Birkin-ish tote bag