A file picture taken in January 2011 in Paris shows covers of some of the 42 foreign editions of the French fashion magazine

A file picture taken in January 2011 in Paris shows covers of some of the 42 foreign editions of the French fashion magazine "Elle", owned by French media conglomerate Lagardere. / AFP via Getty Images

Lifestyle and fashion magazine ELLE announced Thursday it is banning fur from all pages of its publications in a move to support animal welfare and reflect changing tastes.

"It's a really great opportunity to increase awareness for animal welfare, bolster the demand for sustainable and innovative alternatives and foster a more humane fashion industry," ELLE Senior Vice President and International Director Valeria Bessolo Llopiz said to Reuters.

Bessolo Llopiz told the news organization that the presence of animal fur in its publication pages and online is "no longer in line with [its] values, nor our readers.'"

The magazine's 45 global editions each signed a charter to ban content that will promote animal fur on its printed, online and social media pages, Bessolo Llopiz said at The Business of Fashion's VOICES 2021 conference.

So far, 13 editions have implemented the charter and 20 more will do so starting Jan. 1, 2022. The remaining editions will apply the charter starting Jan. 1, 2023.

"Fur appears to be outdated and not fashionable anymore, and especially for the Gen Z, who is the golden target of fashion and luxury industry," Bessolo Llopiz said to Reuters.

Animal rights organization PETA welcomed the magazine's decision.

"PETA's years of protesting furriers and persuading the public to shun fur continue to pay off. Celebrities, top designers, shoppers, and even Queen Elizabeth II have rejected fur—and now, Elle has banned it from its pages worldwide," PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a statement.

Founded in France in November 1945 by Hélène Gordon-Lazareff and her husband, Pierre Lazareff, ELLE is one of the world's largest fashion and lifestyle publications — focusing not only on fashion but also beauty, health and entertainment.

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