The people who populate Los Angeles's annual Fashion Week don't usually try to make a statement, unless of course it's the fashionable kind. But on April 2 at Smashbox Studios, a former warehouse in Culver City that's been converted into a stylish, state-of-the-art photo space, Hollywood's next generation of stars had something on their mind other than savoring the latest low-slung designer pants.

As DJ Donkeypunch, better known as That '70s Show actor Danny Masterson, laid down a steady groove of Polyesther-era funk inside the building, and as cheerleaders from Beverly Hills High School added that 90210 flavor outside, the newest generation of Tinseltown stars such as Jennie Garth, Ashley Scott and Amy Smart walked down the red carpet—step, pose, step, pose, answer a few questions. But their chatter had less to do with their latest projects and the latest clothing trends, and everything to do with the shiny rhinestone jewelry around their neck.

These young stars were vocal participants in the official coming out party for the Fur Free Necklace. This delicate silver strand, with the letters "FF" dangling from it in rhinestones, is the brainchild of 23-year-old author and activist Danny Seo, one of the co-hosts (including The HSUS) of this Fur Free Party for the up-and-coming Hollywood crowd, which seems to worship the well-protected ground he walks on.

Many of the stars and starlets were here because Seo had asked them, and they were only too happy to walk the walk—down the red carpet—for Seo's and The Fur Free Society's anti-fur campaign. Take Marisa Ramirez, a graduate of General Hospital, who is now on Miracles. When asked how long she has been fur free, she responded, "Forever, actually. I was born that way. Definitely. There's no point in wearing it. I just love animals."

Then she gushed about her "three rescue pit bulls."

Pets quickly became the common thread at this Fur Free Party. Ask the young soap opera actor, who was carrying—not wearing—his new FF™ necklace, why he made the scene, and he answered, "I just adopted a dog from a shelter. Everyone should get dogs. They should all adopt dogs—they're amazing."

It happened over and over again. If you asked these beautiful ones why they were going fur free, almost all broke into even more beautiful grins and told you about their dog or cat. These folks don't make a distinction between protecting animals who are considered pets and protecting animals killed for fur. Nor should they.

Said actress Phoebe Price, whose flamboyantly faux fur boots ate up rolls of film along the red carpet: "We have to protect our animals...If it's dogs or if it's rabbits, or you know whatever it is, I think we need to make a stand."

In the case of Victoria Pratt (maybe you saw her in Xena or Mutant X?), it's her guinea pig. "I just did a photo shoot with my guinea pig. No animal is too small."

What was so clever about this event was its role reversal. Instead of Hollywood demonstrating against fur, the actors and actresses were celebrating the idea of going fur free. What's more, the necklace itself appears custom-designed for such high-profile partying. Certainly, the twin rhinestone Fs looked right at home under the spotlights in Culver CIty, and the camera flashes from the phalanx of celebrity journalists made the letters sparkle all the more.

Party co-host (with Seo, Cook, Scott, Garth, Anna Getty, and Chynna Phillips) Amy Smart noted, "Faux fur is becoming more popular and more environmentally sound, humanely sound.... Faux fur is great. Fur is just not necessary."

And since fur isn't necessary, why not spread the word? As veteran fur activist Chynna Phillips said, "It's one thing to watch and another thing to be active, to do something and be proactive."

Word of mouth obviously seems to work. A number of fur-free celebrities first learned about the issue from friends. Arms around her two "fur-free" daughters, Hilary Shepard (a regular guest star on Ally McBeal) credited best friend and long-time animal lover Daryl Hannah. There's no fur in her family, Shepard noted with a smile, "Only our dog. He's a Great Pyrenees, so he's got a lot of fur."

The party ultimately demonstrated the perfect way to spread the word about going fur free in a land where appearance can be paramount: You do it with what you wear. Make fur free your fashion statement. Put on your flamboyantly faux boots. Or maybe you lower the volume a notch and wear the FF necklace to parties, on the street, to work. People will ask you what it means, and you can tell them. You aren't preaching, you aren't intruding—you are celebrating an idea whose time has come.

Want your own FF necklace? You can order one here. (Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.)

Tanya Mulford is the web editor for wildlife and habitat protection.