Snakes’ commodification within the fashion system

Abstract

In the early 2000s a snake would appear as a prop in a live music performance, catalyzing a “trend” of live snakes as accessories which persists today on runways, red carpets, and on pages of fashion magazines. Around the same time, luxury fashion brands were selling out of snakeskin clothing and accessories, a trend which maintains popularity today. This paper applies a critical animal studies lens and insights from snake behavior literature to consider how live snakes are used in fashion performances and how they may be stressed by these environments. This article also discusses snakeskin as a distinct form of accessory which glamorizes and appraises snake death. Whether they appear alive or dead, the snake’s nonconsensual appearance on a runway, red carpet, or stage as a superfluous accessory trivializes and passivizes the snake. Surprisingly, such arguments find opposition from influential global conservation organizations, and the role of the luxury fashion industry is a controversial talking point in snake conservation.