Last week Sadie Frost unveiled a naked portrait of herself for the animal rights group PETA' s latest campaign - Turn Your Back On Fur: The Europe-wide protest by PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals) features Sadie pictured from behind and looking over her shoulder to convey that she is literally turning her back on fur: 'It's all about confident people who are comfortable in their own skin and don't have to endorse the murder and torture of animals to wear their skin instead,' says PETA. The Mail asked four celebrities to recreate Sadie's pose to show their support for the campaign. 

TOYAH WILLCOX: Toyah, 48 is a singer and actress. She lives in a house in Worcestershire with her musician husband, Robert Fripp. She is touring with fellow Eighites pop stars Howard Jones and ABC, and she has recently made a series of wildlife documentaries for the BBC.  

Toyah says: Last month I bought a copy of Vogue and it had a 20-page advertisement for fur coats from a French furrier stapled into the middle of it. I was so angry that Vogue was condoning fur in this way that I wanted to take the magazine back to the shop. 

It seems like the fashion industry has turned its back on the anti-fur campaigns of the Nineties. That's why I decided to bare all and turn my back, literally, on fur - like Sadie Frost. It's not the easiest thing to do, especially when you are my age, but it's something I feel strongly about. 

To be honest, I even find it diffcult wearing fake fur because it promotes the look of fur. I have a wonderful leopard print Biba-esque coat from my mother but it is such good quality that it looks real. I worry what people might think, so usually it stays in the wardrobe. 

It's fantastic that realistic alternatives can be made but I find myself raising my eyebrows when I see great fakes because I have to question whether they are real. I think the problem lies in the vanity of the wearer as well as the cruelty of the industry. It would be best if fur was off the shelves and catwalks for good. 

Daily Mail
25th September 2006