Handbag designer Nancy Gonzalez, known for her luxurious accessories made from brilliantly dyed precious skins, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling handbags made from protected wildlife into the United States.
Gonzalez, 71, pleaded guilty in a Miami federal court to charges of smuggling hundreds of handbags made from the skins of protected wildlife from her native Colombia. Her business, incorporated into a luxury handbag company called Gzuniga Limited, sold totes and clutches in lime green alligator and lavender python skin for thousands of dollars through big-name retailers like Saks and Bergdorf Goodman.
Prosecutors said that the handbags, made from the hides of caiman alligators and pythons bred in captivity, were worth as much as $2 million. Gonzalez admitted to recruiting couriers to carry the products on commercial flights to be used at fashion events or sold in showrooms between 2016 and 2019.
While the trade in caimans and pythons is not banned, it is strictly regulated under international rules. Gonzalez failed to secure the necessary import permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, leading to her arrest and subsequent bankruptcy of her brand.
Despite prosecutors seeking a longer sentence, Gonzalez was given leniency by the judge due to time spent in a Colombian jail awaiting extradition. She tearfully apologized to the court for not fully complying with U.S. laws and expressed regret for her actions.
The case highlights the controversy surrounding the use of exotic skins in the luxury market, with some brands like Burberry and Chanel opting to stop using them while others like Hermès and Celine continue to produce popular items from alligator and python skins. Copenhagen Fashion Week recently announced a ban on exotic skins and feathers from its catwalks, signaling a shift in the industry towards more sustainable practices.
