Italian fashion house Bottega Veneta sent models down the catwalk in footwear made of sugarcane and coffee that the brand claims are fully biodegradable,That means they will biodegrade within a year once placed underground, or in a controlled environment under specific lighting and humidity conditions alongside the presence of microorganisms.

After becoming the first luxury brand to receive a LEED certificate for its headquarters, this is the latest move towards sustainability for Bottega Veneta, which has long been synonymous with leather goods.

Luxury brands from Gucci to Prada and Burberry have already gone animal-fur free, and attention has now shifted to leather, not just due to implications of animal cruelty but also because of the material's environmental impact.