While many attendees at New York’s 2005 Fashion Week were there to spot the latest trends, basketball legend Dennis Rodman had a different mission. At Bryant Park in the heart of the Big Apple, he unveiled a new ad for the animal rights group PETA.
The then-43-year-old was seen shirtless during the launch, mirroring the billboard he was presenting, which featured ‘The Worm’ fully nude. Below his image, a bold slogan stood out.
“Think Ink, Not Mink: Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin and Let Animals Keep Theirs,” it stated .
Raising awareness for animals and the homeless
Back then, ‘The Worm’ became the first celebrity to pose for the new campaign ‘Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur,’ launched by PETA, the animal rights organization founded in 1980. Following the Chicago Bulls icon, other stars like Pamela Anderson, Kim Basinger, and Christy Turlington also stripped down for this good cause.
The campaign partly targeted fashion lovers, many of whom were seen at Fashion Week, who enjoyed wearing fur clothing. While that might look stylish, reports say that about 100 million animals die each year to make these garments.