Vivienne Westwood
Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood have been approached by PeTA to design a new, ethically-friendly alternative to the traditional bearskin hats, as worn by the guards at Buckingham Palace.
The animal rights group met with the Ministry of Defence to discuss new ideas for replacing the hats, following a heavy media campaign, which saw activists protest naked outside the palace.
"Most people think it's fake fur and when they find out it's real and it takes one bear to make a hat, they are appalled," says Robbie LeBlanc, PeTA's director for Europe.
A spokesman for the MoD commented: "We are pleased that PeTA acknowledges the progress MoD has made in producing faux fur alternatives for other ceremonial clothing, such as the busby cap worn by members of the Royal Horse Artillery and the leopard skins previously used by musicians."
He added that an industry day had been scheduled for October to explore the issue further, BBC.CO.UK reports.