Billionaire Roger Federer Receives Stern Warning Alongside Dua Lipa Ahead of High-Profile Multi-Million Dollar Event in New York City

In stark contrast to his previous appearance at the Met Gala in 2017, Roger Federer will be seen in a new role at this year’s event. The Swiss Maestro, together with Dua Lipa, Penelope Cruz, and close friend Anna Wintour, will act as co-chairs at the event. However, as Federer prepares to assume his new role, the animal welfare organization PETA has made an urgent request about the sensitive issue of animal cruelty. Over the years, PETA has been known for its ardent support for the current World No.1 and Federer’s long-time on-court rival, Novak Djokovic.

The ‘Djoker’ is one of the few tennis superstars who has embraced a plant-based diet along with the likes of Venus Williams. Apart from expressing, on numerous occasions, the monumental change the diet has had on his on-court performances, Djokovic has also encouraged his fellow players and fans to do the same, albeit in an indirect way.

PETA’s urgent plea to Met Gala co-chairs 

Ahead of the highly anticipated 2023 Met Gala, PETA has encouraged the co-chairs of the event to consider banning a common practice in such events, according to FashionUnited.in. The animal welfare organization has urged the co-chairs to instruct designers to not use any fur, exotic animal skins or feathers in the million-dollar event. This concern was raised after the theme of this year’s Met Gala was released. The theme for this year is “In Honour of Karl”. In the fashion world, Karl Lagerfeld is renowned as the designer who modernized the use of fur and feathers in clothing.

“The high-profile people in the spotlight at this wonderful event wield enormous influence on the viewing public, so we’re asking that you implement a policy to permit designers only to use vegan feathers, faux fur and simulated skins, for the good of both animals and the environment,” PETA stated in its letter to the five co-chairs of the Met Gala.

Interestingly, the 20-time Grand Slam champion designed the first vegan sneakers with the Swiss Sporting brand ON. The company designs shoes using vegan leather and claims to be 100% animal cruelty-free. Knowing that Federer has been conscious of the pressing issue in his business venture, PETA hopes that Federer would do the right thing in the upcoming Met Gala. Especially after his long-time rival, Novak Djokovic, who has been celebrated as a champion for animals by PETA, has time and again expressed the benefits of following a plant-based lifestyle.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion was introduced to veganism by Dr. Igor Cetojevic, who joined his team of medical staff in 2010. It was Dr. Cetojevic who discovered Djokovic’s gluten intolerance and subsequently suggested a vegan diet. According to the Serbian tennis legend, following a plant-based diet has completely changed, not just his performance on the tennis court but his overall well being. Moreover, like Federer, Djokovic has also focused on an animal cruelty-free approach when it comes to his business ventures. In 2015, he opened a vegan restaurant, Eqvita, in Monte Carlo that follows a nature-centric cuisine.

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Is this the first time PETA has urged celebrities to forego animal products?

PETA has a longstanding concern with animal fur and feathers being used at the mega-event in New York. Earlier, in 2019, the organization had an issue with media personalities Kylie and Kendall Jenner using feathered costumes to draw eyeballs at the glamorous event. Kendall wore an orange feathered dress and her sister donned a lavender feathered dress.

In a message directed to the celebrities who were featured in the 2019 Met Gala event, PETA pointed out that they seem to be ignorant of where these feathers come from. The organization then proceeded to shed light on the fact that these feathers are ripped from birds while they are still alive and then used in clothing and accessories. PETA further urged the celebrities to show some compassion in light of the inhuman treatment of animals that go into making some of these grand costumes.

Despite the request from PETA, it would be a tough task for the co-chairs of this year’s event to fulfill their request, especially considering the theme of the Met Gala.

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Will the co-chairs of the 2023 Met Gala consider PETA’s request? Let us know in the comments.