--- description: Activists with PETA demonstrated against the store's use of ostrich leather in its handbags. title: Topless Activist Dons Dead Ostrich to Protest Hermès Bags image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf970016f159dfa4b/69888d4af887dc69cde9548c/ostrich-peta.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Topless Activist Dons Dead Ostrich to Protest Hermès Bags  by [Julia Zorthian](/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 31, 2016 7:58 PM CUT  A PETA model wearing a gore-version of Bjork's legendary 'swan-dress', covered with the bloody carcass of an ostrich and carrying a handbag made out of fake ostrich leather, demonstrates outside the Garde Republicaine headquarters during the Hermes fashion show, as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris on March 7, 2016. A PETA model wearing a gore-version of Bjork's legendary 'swan-dress', covered with the bloody carcass of an ostrich and carrying a handbag made out of fake ostrich leather, demonstrates outside the Garde Republicaine headquarters during the Hermes fashion show, as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris on March 7, 2016.Apaydin Alain—Sipa USA  by [Julia Zorthian](/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 31, 2016 7:58 PM CUT A bare-chested activist draped herself in a dead ostrich outside [Hermès](http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2016/mar/31/dead-ostrich-demo-flagship-store-ruffles-hermes-feathers "undefined") London store on Thursday, to protest the sale of handbags made from ostrich leather. PETA had published [an investigation](http://investigations.peta.org/ostriches-butchered-hermes-luxury/ "undefined") into slaughtering ostriches for meat and leather that inspired the demonstration, which showed how ostriches were killed at a young age. [PETA alleged](http://investigations.peta.org/ostriches-butchered-hermes-luxury/ "undefined") that the slaughterhouses supplied Hermès, among other brands. The luxury designer denies the claims. Jackie Joyce, 29, led the rally wearing a faux dead ostrich neck wrapped around her neck and chest, the [_Guardian_ reports](http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2016/mar/31/dead-ostrich-demo-flagship-store-ruffles-hermes-feathers "undefined"). The three activists held cardboard signs shaped similarly to Hermès’ famous Birkin bags, which characteristically have the bumpy leather of ostrich skin. Hermès said it does not condone animal cruelty. “Contrary to what the video broadcast by \[PETA\] suggests, the farms shown in the videos do not belong to Hermès,” it [said](http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2016/mar/31/dead-ostrich-demo-flagship-store-ruffles-hermes-feathers "undefined") in a statement. “Hermès deplores the relentless attacks by Peta aiming to harm its reputation through a dishonest representation of the facts and a complete ignorance of the deep ethical commitment of Hermès to the fight against animal cruelty, as well as any other welfare concerns.” \[[_The Guardian_](http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2016/mar/31/dead-ostrich-demo-flagship-store-ruffles-hermes-feathers "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4278329/ostrich-protest-hermes/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4278329/ostrich-protest-hermes/"},"headline":"Topless Activist Dons Dead Ostrich to Protest Hermès Bags","datePublished":"2016-03-31T19:58:11.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:31:17.628Z","description":"Activists with PETA demonstrated against the store's use of ostrich leather in its handbags","url":"https://time.com/4278329/ostrich-protest-hermes/","keywords":["Newsfeed","animals","Business topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf970016f159dfa4b/69888d4af887dc69cde9548c/ostrich-peta.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Julia Zorthian","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf970016f159dfa4b/69888d4af887dc69cde9548c/ostrich-peta.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"PETA Protest Against Use Of Ostrich Leather By Fashion House Hermes - Paris","caption":"PETA Protest Against Use Of Ostrich Leather By Fashion House Hermes - Paris","creditText":"Apaydin Alain—Sipa USA","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4278329/ostrich-protest-hermes/","name":"Topless Activist Dons Dead Ostrich to Protest Hermès Bags"}}]}] ```