This follows the banning of a rabbit-fur design during Melbourne's Spring Fashion Week.
The decision, made by Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and his council, prevented the bodice - made from pest rabbits - appearing on the catwalk on Saturday after threats of protests from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The decision left Mallee RMIT student designer Molly Herben stunned. She said the decision to ban her design was an "injustice".
Her fur outfit used rabbits culled in a Government-backed eradication property near her home town of Yaapeet, and took four months to create. Victorian Farmers Federation Land Management chairman Gerald Leach said the ban was an "insult" to Ms Herben.
"She was making a resource out of a pest that was going to be killed anyway, Mr Leach said.
"It's really disappointing the organisers of the fashion show are so far removed from reality to let PETA get away with this.
"Perhaps we need to get the Lord Mayor up here into the country so he can understand what a problem this pest is."
Mallee farmer Jason Scott, who has a property near Ouyen, said rabbits had stripped thousands of dollars of value from crops in the region.
"It's a pretty small-minded, short-sighted decision," he said.
"This isn't a native animal, this is a pest," Mr Scott said.
"Farmers need to control the numbers and if someone can value-add with the pelts, a make a living, it should be encouraged."
Fashion blogger Nadia Napreychikov, from Melbourne label DI$COUNT, where Ms Herben has been an intern, said the decision was "appalling".
"For so many reasons this decision is appalling and a complete compromise on creative freedom and art," Ms Napreychikov said.
"She is using fur from a pest that is legal to kill, that kills farming industry.
"These animals were not killed for her work."
Ms Herben scrambled to replace outfits for Saturday's Emerging Designers show.
These were made of leather and put together with the help of other RMIT students.
Friends wore rabbit ears at Saturday's show in support of Ms Herben while supporters have written to Mr Doyle criticising the decision.
"I was humbled by the response from the general public," Ms Herben, 22, said.
"It was wonderful to hear that those who did not know me personally felt strong enough about the issue to stand up and have an opinion."
The council's decision came after PETA activists stormed a fashion week runway last week, brandishing anti-fur placards for five minutes before leaving the stage.
Cr Doyle told the media last week: "We had to think very hard about this (ban) because, although these young designers have put in an awful lot of work, we couldn't risk something happening,"
When quizzed further about the decision, a City of Melbourne spokeswoman said security at the Saturday event would be "adequate" but: "Our designers have worked extremely hard on their collections and we don't want their big moment overshadowed by protesters."
Ironically, Saturday's night show was promoted as "bold, uncensored collections".
RMIT publicly supported the decision but it is understood members of the school's fashion department were privately fuming.
Another designer, Melbourne-based Jack Loder, was forced to withdraw some of his dresses, which featured impala fur and feather trim.
Under Victorian law, wild rabbits are defined as an established pest and land owners must "take all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of, and as far as possible eradicate, established pest animals".
Molly's father, Ian Herben, who was among a 60-strong contingent from Yaapeet at the show, said his daughter was assured by the university four months ago that the pelts could be used.
"There were some initial discussions, but she was assured it would be no problem," he said.
"It's just ridiculous. A small minority shouldn't be able to dictate to everyone else when 99.99 per cent of the population thinks it's OK."
"The ironic thing is, the DPI had been going around the district asking farmers to eradicate their rabbits or they would be fined," Mr Herben said.
PETA said it welcomed the council's decision, and that the only decent rabbit control was preventing breeding.
"I think the designer is trying to greenwash the public. There is no such thing as ethically-produced fur," PETA Australia campaigns manager Ashley Fruno said.
"It's common place for rabbits to be poisoned, caught in snares, mauled by dogs, or shot.
"Any designer, student or not, should think twice about using real fur. PETA is always watching."
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