Charlotte Casiraghi rode the catwalk on her 8-year-old Spanish bay horse Couscous.
Animal rights organization criticizes Chanel for using a horse to open a haute couture show at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris on Tuesday.
At the start of Chanel's debut at Paris Couture Week 2022, Charlotte Casiraghi — granddaughter of Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco and Chanel brand ambassador since 2020 — rode the runway on her 8-year-old Spanish bay horse Couscous.
Chanel's decision to include a horse in a fashion show has faced backlash from some, including international animal rights organization PETA. Chanel's representatives did not immediately respond to an Insider request for comment, and Casiraghi's representatives declined to comment.
«Horses are smart, complex, and easily frightened individuals, not fashion accessories to ride a catwalk amid flashing lights and loud music. ,» said PETA UK Director Eliza Allen.
«They are easily frightened, which means that this absurd and thoughtless ploy could have ended in disaster,» she added.
Some social media users shared PETA's criticism of Chanel.
Diet Prada, an Instagram account with 3 million followers that posts about wrongdoing in the fashion world, posted a clip of the opening of the Chanel show on Tuesday with the caption: «Who thought this horse was about to rush into the audience, oh my god.»
One mentions the backlash the brand previously faced after its $825 advent calendar went viral on TikTok: “Chanel is pulling all the strings to get back from the advent calendar, including the use of animals for clickbait.»
«We shouldn't use animals for fun, sport or fun,» wrote another user.
Users were also outraged by the makeup of the models. The black shadows smudged around the eye were supposed to be a reference to the avant-garde makeup of the early 20th century, but many were more reminded of the consequences of domestic violence.