London Fashion Week attendees got an eyeful as the shows kicked off, when a Peta activist’s “skin” was torn off to call attention to the suffering animals are subjected to in the leather industry.

According to Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the demonstration aimed to encourage designers and attendees to think about the consequences of their actions.

“For leather bags, jackets, and shoes, cows are confined on cramped factory farms,” a press release from Peta read.

“They’re subjected to extreme crowding and deprivation as well as castration, branding, tail-docking, and dehorning – all without any painkillers.

“At abattoirs, their throats are cut and some are even skinned and dismembered while they’re still conscious.”

Peta also praised designers who are moving away from animal skin and opting for plant leathers, noting that top designer Stella McCartney has always been “proudly leather-free”.