article: A mutilated fox: hardly the most glamorous prop Ashley James has ever posed with, but in this case, that is precisely the point. The former Made In Chelsea star has joined forces with animal rights crusaders PETA on a hard-hitting anti-fur campaign directed at Harvey Nichols after the national department store abandoned its ten-year anti-fur policy. 'Harvey Nichols: Here's the Rest of Your Fur Coat,' the slogan reads, alongside an image of the 26-year-old animal lover, who is brandishing what appears to be a skinned fox - a fake one we've been assured. Scroll down for video . Dark: The former Made in Chelsea star has joined forces with animal rights crusaders PETA on a hard-hitting anti-fur campaign directed at Harvey Nichols after it abandoned its fur-free policy - (the fox isn't real) PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is currently in talks with a number of billboard companies in the hopes of getting the poster mounted outside Harvey Nichols. 'I love animals,' Ashley told MailOnline. 'Having educated myself about the fur industry, it breaks my heart to think people allow such cruelty to continue by buying fur products.' Harvey Nichols, which has 12 locations around the world and previously stood against the fur industry, backtracked last year when it quietly re-introduced it. Priced between £300 and £1,500, the department store's current range includes coyote fur courtesy of Canada Goose, raccoon fur from Charlotte Simone and plenty of rabbit pelts from Vince. 'When I see people I know wearing fur, I will initiate the conversation by asking them if it's real or not. If they confirm that it's real, I express disgust,' Ashley said, . 'If they are interested, then I will tell them more about this cruel industry. I just want people to make informed decisions with their purchases. Anti-fur: 'I love animals,' Miss James, pictured, tells MailOnline. 'Having educated myself about the fur industry, it breaks my heart to think people allow such cruelty to continue by buying fur products' Boycotter: Miss James, pictured in London this week, leads a mostly vegan lifestyle and shops at fur-free stores including Liberty London, Selfridges, House of Fraser, Topshop and Oasis . 'If they know about the industry and still choose to wear fur, then that's fine - although I can't personally understand how they could do that. 'But I think a lot of people prefer to live in ignorance, and that's really frustrating.' In a statement to MailOnline, Harvey Nichols said: '[We are] committed to sustainable and responsible practice across all areas of [our] business, and ethical trading is an important part of this programme. 'We only source products from reputable brands, which includes seeking the assurance that the fur they use in products has been sourced responsibly.' However, in a recent exposé fronted by Paloma Faith, PETA went undercover on 'Origin Assured' fur farms, a label which is meant to give fur-stocking stores assurances about the animal welfare and conditions in which animals are bred and slaughtered. It found raccoons, rabbits and minks kept in filthy wire cages, sometimes alongside the rotting corpses of other animals. 'These animals were left to suffer from untreated injuries, including missing limbs,' PETA reports. 'Frightened and distressed, they often mutilate themselves and others in the cage, only to be slaughtered in the name of fashion.' Party line: In a statement, Harvey Nichols said, 'We only source products from reputable brands, which includes seeking the assurance that the fur they use in products has been sourced responsibly' Put a name to the face: Priced between £300 and £1,500, Harvey Nichols' current designer range includes fur from coyotes (left), raccoons (center) and foxes (right) When MailOnline asked reps at Harvey Nichols to clarify their position on exactly what made them change their minds on their anti-fur policy, communication ceased and they declined to make any further comment. PETA's foundation director Mimi Bekhechi points out: 'All fur is the product of a bloody, violent industry. We encourage consumers not to be deceived by Harvey Nichols' claims of selling 'humanely and ethically' obtained furs.' Before Ashley James knew anything about the industry, she admits she owned a rabbit fur coat. 'Needless to say I don't any more,' she said. 'I gave it to a Romanian charity called K-9 Angels, which use donated furs to keep rescued dogs warm in winter.' Cruelty-free: Miss James is a particular fan of designer Stella MCartney, who has been a lifelong vegetarian and refuses to even use leather in her collections. Pictured, her 2009 A/W campaign, starring an (alive) fox . Poster girls: Stars including Natalie Portman (left), Charlize Theron (center) and Jessica Chastain (right) are all vocal anti-fur campaigners . Just say no: Abbie Cornish (left), Ellen DeGeneres (center) and Sia (right) are also vegetarians who are strongly opposed to the trend . Ashley, who now leads a mostly vegan lifestyle, praises designers like Stella McCartney, another avid anti-fur protester, and shops at fur-free stores including Liberty London, Selfridges, House of Fraser, Topshop and Oasis. Harvey Nichols is not the only entity, or person, to have broken its anti-fur promise. Supermodel Naomi Campbell, who once posed for PETA’s infamous ‘I’d rather go naked than wear fur’ campaign, then went on to become the face of fur couturier Dennis Basso in 2010. Message: Supermodel Naomi Campbell (far right) once posed for PETA’s infamous 90s campaign ‘I’d rather go naked than wear fur’ (pictured) Change of heart? Naomi then went on to become the face of fur couturier Dennis Basso in 2010 (pictured) Lady Gaga, who also once spoke out against fur, did a very public reversal on the subject when in 2012 she declared that she ‘admired’ the beauty of animals in fashion, stating: ‘You see a carcass, I see a museum pièce de résistance.' Still, notable celebrities who strictly avoid fur include, but are not limited to; Natalie Portman, Abbie Cornish, Jessica Chastain, Sia, Charlize Theron, Pamela Anderson, Pink, Kesha, and Ellen DeGeneres. Ashley James is using her new role to try and convert shoppers. She said: 'Have a heart. Please don't support the fur industry and boycott the brands who do.'
highlights: Ashley James joined forces with PETA to star in the grisly campaign .
  Harvey Nichols abandoned its strict fur-free policy last year .
  Liberty London, Selfridges and House of Fraser are still anti-fur .
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