Vegetarian Stella McCartney has teamed up with animal activists at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to launch the new anti-hide campaign and she has signed on to host a new viral video expose of the skins trade.

McCartney says, "As a designer, I like to work with fabrics that don't bleed; that's why I avoid all animal skins.

"Please join me in exploring the huge variety of fashionable shoes, belts, purses, and wallets that aren't the product of a cow's violent death."

In the video, McCartney reveals cows that are killed for their skin are castrated, branded, and dehorned and have their tails cut, all without painkillers. In slaughterhouses, the animals' throats are cut, and many cows are skinned and dismembered while they are still alive.

New York Fashion Week kicks off on Thursday (09Feb12).