Designer issues an apology for utilizing live butterflies in her "terrarium" gowns.

After being criticized by PETA, an organization that advocates for animal rights, the creator of the Japanese clothing line Undercover has issued an apology and pledged never to use live animals in his creations.

In a letter to PETA that he provided to CNN on Tuesday, Jun Takahashi expressed his guilt, saying, “I regret that I trapped butterflies that could fly freely in the sky.”

During the brand’s Spring-Summer 2024 show at Paris Fashion Week in September, Undercover’s “terrarium” dresses—which featured live butterflies and flowers—were a sight to behold. However, the garments raised concerns among animal rights activists regarding the safety of the insects.

In an October letter, PETA alerted Takahashi to the fact that butterflies used for public displays are “usually either ripped from nature or captive bred on farms,” and that many of them suffer crushing injuries or even pass away during transit “like cargo” in envelopes and tiny boxes.

According to the association, “many wedding planners now avoid butterflies at weddings because they (often) arrive dead, or half-dead,” citing the North American Butterfly Association.

Takahashi stated that he wanted the butterflies in his performance to be safe and healthy in his response, which was dated October 17. He claimed in his writing that his group purchased them from a “ethical” breeder and provided them with the right food, plenty of room to fly, and temperature control.

Although his label attempted to provide the animals with the “most comfortable environment possible,” the designer acknowledged that this was an error. He wrote, “I put butterflies in the dress for my own creation, even though I felt guilty.”

Although PETA’s letter pointed out that captive-bred butterflies “struggle to find food sources, and rarely survive” in the wild and can also “spread disease to local insect populations,” Takahashi said he released the insects in a park right after the runway presentation.

Speaking with CNN on Tuesday, a PETA official said that the group personally visited with Takahashi to express gratitude for his letter and had a “constructive discussion.”

The designer wrote in his letter that two decades ago, at his grandmother’s burial, he first became fond of butterflies. He remarked, “I went to a nearby river, and a white butterfly flew by and stayed by my side.” “I felt so happy after this experience, thinking that my grandmother and I were getting closer.” Takahashi continued, “Since then, I’ve had other experiences with the insects that are just as moving.”

He wrote to PETA, “I pray that butterflies will come to my side again. I hope you will appreciate our good will. Please do not hesitate to inform us more on this topic as we want to learn to behave better.”