Rod Stewart sparks outrage after posing in £1,800 sealskin coat before concert in Canada

  • A picture of the rocker wearing the jacket caused outrage on social media
  • Stewart was seen posing in the sealskin coat ahead of his Canada gig
  • But the singer said he regrets not checking what the jacket was made from
  • 'Upset' Stewart added that he 'certainly' did not support sealskin industry

By Maureen Sugden for the Daily Mail

Published: 21:44 EST, 14 July 2015 | Updated: 02:49 EST, 15 July 2015

Rod Stewart has sparked outrage after he posed in a sealskin coat at a Canadian shop ahead of his gig.

Anti-fur campaigners were outraged after a picture of the ageing rocker wearing the £1,795 jacket appeared on social media.

But the 'Sailing' singer yesterday said he regrets not checking what the coat was made of and was 'upset' to learn the the image was being used as an advertisement for a process 'he does not know much about and certainly does not support.'

Rod Stewart has sparked outrage after he posed in a sealskin coat at a Canadian shop before his gig (pictured)

Rod Stewart has sparked outrage after he posed in a sealskin coat at a Canadian shop before his gig (pictured)

The 70-year-old was in St John's, Newfoundland at the weekend to headline a music festival and stopped into Always In Vogue, a store specialising in handcrafted seal clothes, on Saturday.

The owner said Stewart had his entourage of dancers fitted out in cashmere capes and that he also tried on a sealskin coat, posting a picture of the star wearing it.

Darren Halloran said: 'It was just an ordinary morning and then one of the drivers, a local driver that takes the bands around, came into our store and he approached me and asked me if I would be interested in fitting the girls up for some warmer jackets, because it's colder here today and they hadn't travelled with any jackets or anything like that.'

He said Stewart's manager called him saying the singer wanted to attend the fitting, adding: 'He was nothing but a gentleman, very nice. 

'I explained to him that we make everything in house and showed him some of the stuff that we do, and we just had a nice chat. He was just like one of the guys.'

The  £1,795 jacket was made of sealskin - a trade which is banned in the EU (file picture of a white seal)

The  £1,795 jacket was made of sealskin - a trade which is banned in the EU (file picture of a white seal)

Halloran said Stewart browsed through the store's selection of cloth, leather and shearling jackets, adding: 'At the end of it, we did have them all fitted for sealskin jackets, that was my request, and they loved them. 

'But they decided with the warmth and playing [instruments], they decided to go with our cashmere capes.'

Halloran added: 'It was very positive and it made you feel very good about yourself, to have somebody with such stature as him put on one of our jackets.'

But last night, a spokesman for Stewart said: 'On Saturday Rod Stewart landed in St John's Canada to headline an outdoor summer festival. 

'As the weather was much colder than previously thought a wardrobe assistant recommended a shop near the venue that was kind enough to loan the backing singers some red jumpers to keep them warm on stage.

'On their way out, the store clerk wanted to take a photo with Rod and asked if he would pose in one the store's jackets and Rod obliged. He was not being fitted for it as has been alleged and had no intention of buying it.

The veteran rocker was in St John's, Newfoundland, Canada at the weekend to headline a music festival

The veteran rocker was in St John's, Newfoundland, Canada at the weekend to headline a music festival

'Rod regrets that he didn't check what the jacket was made of but was so grateful for the shop's help, he did not. Rod has since been very upset to learn that the shop has been using this image as an advertisement for an industry that he does not know much about and certainly does not support.

'Rod went there to play music and as always had an absolute blast performing to the people of Canada.'

In April, Sir Paul issued an appeal for an end to the killing of up to 468,000 harp, hooded and grey seals - many only a few weeks old - who are shot, clubbed and skinned for their fur. And he called for the EU to keep the trade ban on commercial seal hunt products 'intact.'

Sir Paul said: 'Canada's brutal commercial seal hunt has begun, and once again thousands of baby seals will be shot and bludgeoned to make fur products that nobody wants or needs.

'The European Union's trade ban on commercial seal hunt products has already helped save more than one million baby seals from a horrible fate. 

'But we need to ensure the EU keeps this strong ban intact. That's why my friends at Humane Society International are once again setting out for the ice flows for the grim task of catching this horror on film. 

'Their videos of the bloody seal slaughter provide the only vital evidence to demonstrate year after year that these seals are dying a horrible death for their fur. As HSI bears witness to this cruelty, I wish them well and hope that this will be the last year that Canada's ice turns red.'

 

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