Is Faux Fur The New "Black"???

[JGalanos]

I spent Saturday and Sunday in Greater Chicagoland ... In real and faux fur. No one paid any attention to my classically beautiful mahogany mink jacket Saturday evening either before, during, or after the opera ... But my faux fur jackets turned many a head Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Women and men stopped me to ask what I was wearing ... And several expressed disbelief when I informed them my luxe jackets (I wore a different one each day) were not da real thing.

 

My server in the Nordstrom Cafe kept eyeballing my faux jacket ... She eventually complimented the jacket, asked what it was, and then without asking permission began running her hands up and down it (I silently prayed she had recently washed her hands). She was so enamored I don't think I would have been surprised if she threw my poor jacket on the floor and attempted to dry hump it!

 

I did some shopping while out and about and am pleased to report that I FINALLY broke down and purchased a pair of fur gloves. They were too good a deal to pass up. The top is a rich looking fawn colored rabbit and the palm is brown pigskin. They are longer than any gloves I've ever owned -- They reach halfway between my wrist and elbow -- And IMHO they are gorgeous.

 

There was faux fur everywhere ... I saw several women in faux fur coats and jackets (including a realistic looking lynx coat and a multi-colored slim waist length jacket) and several men sporting coats with faux fur trim and faux fur hats ... Not to mention the plethora of faux fur coats/jackets and faux fur trimmed garments in the stores.

 

I also did some fur shopping, visiting two different furriers. I tried on several minks and coyotes and checked out a few Canadian lynxes as well. One of the furriers showed me some mink pelt bundles he had available for custom coats. They were simply unbelievable -- Some of the nicest pelts I've ever come across (Blackglama, American Legend, etc.) -- The pelts were so plush and full and dense that even when you rubbed your hand across them you could not see any of the leather below. A toe curling experience.

 

I had never visited either of these furriers before. One of them surprised me -- They manufacture and design ALL of their furs in house -- No "Made in Canada" or "Made in China" furs on their racks! Everything is produced in their (remarkably clean based upon my experience) workroom. What a pleasant surprise!

 

My faux furs and I survived the onslaught ... At least the furriers treated my faux furs with respect, carefully hanging them on racks with other (real) furs while I tried on garments ... All in all, a great "furry" weekend.

 

Anyone else have a "furry good time" recently???

[White Fox]

Actually up here it is rather strange that I have not yet saw even one decent faux fur in the stores. Hopefully some will come soon. As I kind of take those as an indicator of trends of the real thing.

 

I've not seen anything much around here. Not cold enough yet. We did have a couple of cold days two or three weeks back and then turned warm again. Getting close again this week, and then to go to plus 15 decrees C next weekend! Almost HOT.

 

So doubt I will see large numbers soon around here if any at all but will see. Maybe this week it will get cold enough one day for me to pick up the rest of my coats and wear one home while stopping on the way at my favorite restaurant for supper. Maybe encouraging a few folks along the way to wear theirs.

 

W

[samurman]

Wow! What a memorable weekend!

 

Unfortunately, I haven't worn my furs out yet, but hope to do so soon.

 

In the UK, faux fur has hit the high street in full swing this season. Monsoon, H&M and many other retailers are taking advantage of furs worn by celebrities for the past few years and offering them cheaper alternatives to scores of young British women for whom being fashionable is the most important thing. I think they may risk splashing some money for their very first (admittedly faux) fur coat, and if they find it too "fashionable" they can always sell it on ebay or simply throw it away. I am hoping that some of them will move over to real furs. Even if a fraction did so, it would be a huge boost to fur visibility on the streets...

[Worker 11811]

I am hoping that some of them will move over to real furs. Even if a fraction did so, it would be a huge boost to fur visibility on the streets...

 

Yes! Faux fur is a gateway drug!

[JGalanos]

We did have a couple of cold days two or three weeks back and then turned warm again

 

Interesting. Saturday it was very windy and I was amazed at the number of scarves, gloves, and and hats I saw on Michigan Avenue (on guys n gals).

 

Got home about an hour ago following a long day at work, a late dinner, and a stroll along the water in my Black Diamond ranch mink jacket. Windy, damp, and chilly out -- Brrr. I plan to pick up my full length furs this weekend.

[JGalanos]

What a memorable weekend!

 

Actually it was! I still get a slight shiver when I recall those glorious bundles of Blackglama and American Legend Lunaraine mink pelts.

[don]

I am hoping that some of them will move over to real furs. Even if a fraction did so, it would be a huge boost to fur visibility on the streets...

 

Yes! Faux fur is a gateway drug!

 

Worker 11811 is so correct. My faux fur purchase several years ago lead me to my current real fur collection. I'm hooked.

[Worker 11811]

Y'Know, maybe some of the better faux furs look good from far away but there is NO COMPARISON once you get up close and touch them!

 

The difference between real fur and fake is like night and day.

 

Many of you already know this but I have a large Teddy Bear collection. Some are made of faux fur. (We prefer to call it "plush.") Some are man-made plush from natural fibers like mohair, alpaca and similar. We also have several real fur Teddy Bears too.

 

Let me tell you a story...

 

My wife and I took a day trip to Cleveland and we bought a Panda Bear made from real lapin. (A fancy type of rabbit fur.) I drove home and the panda sat in my wife's lap the entire time as she almost constantly petted him! He's still one of our favorite Bears to pet, even all these years later!

 

There's nothing like a real fur Teddy Bear!

Everybody should have at least one!

[don]

ooooh, maybe I'm not giving faux fur its proper due, might like one of those teddies!!!

[Worker 11811]

There's a company called Steiff, from Germany, which makes Bears and other animals from mohair. The hair (of the mohair goat) is shorn then woven into plush fabric. They also do this with alpaca.

 

Alpaca Bears are some of the nicest Bears you will ever have! We've got several.

We have an alpaca version of "Knut" the polar bear cub from the Berlin Zoo that was made by Steiff.

He cost me $200 but it was an anniversary present to my wife. He was worth it because he's another one of the Bears who gets a lot of "lap time" with my wife.

 

We've also got an actual alpaca fur Bear who was made from the skin of an actual alpaca. Not shorn and woven.

He's another super-soft Bear! He scores more than his share of lap time too!

 

BTW: Although they make Bears and other things from alpaca skins, they don't normally harvest alpaca for their fur. Alpaca are beasts of burden in South America. The natives use them in Peru, Bolivia and Chile to carry goods through the Andes mountains. Therefore, alpaca are valuable animals. They aren't sacrificed simply for their fur.

But, because the natives believe nothing should go to waste, when an alpaca dies of natural causes, they take the skins and use them for other things.

 

Alpaca fur is a little bit "wiry" but it is still very soft. It feels almost like you're touching a cloud. It's a very unique sensation.

 

If you're interested in real fur Bears, it might be fun to take a look at an alpaca fur Bear.

[don]

Will do. Thanks for the info.

[JGalanos]

As an aside, while in the "Made in USA" furrier we discussed fur fashions. The furrier's father (who still works with his son at the salon he started over 30 years ago) told me that (as I long suspected) the sole purpose of those (IMHO usually hideous) epaulettes and tabs you see on the shoulders and sleeves of men's fur garments is to distinguish them from women's garments. I've never liked them and did not for a second consider including them in the design of any of my furs. Even though they are often classified as "unisex" I do not worry about any of my (men's) t-shirts or sweaters being confused with women's garments ... So why would I worry about my men's furs being confused with women's furs? Even with features like self-fabric belts, oversized shawl collars, unusually wide sweeps, turnback cuffs, etc., I don't think anyone has ever made the assumption that I was wearing a women's garment -- Because from the get go my fur coats were styled/designed/sized for a man (me!). In my opinion epaulettes and sleeve tabs do not make a fur "masculine" (nor in most cases do they make a fur more attractive) ... Wearing with confidence a well made fur designed to fit you and reflect your personal style does.

[JGalanos]

Y'Know, maybe some of the better faux furs look good from far away but there is NO COMPARISON once you get up close and touch them!

 

Totally agree ... But I'm still amazed at the progress they have made with faux furs over the years. There's no comparison between a fine faux fur today versus one ~20 years ago. My two year old faux fur parka is incredible. The "fur" is so fine the "hairs" actually move similar to real fur in the wind. And the "fur" is really soft, long, and appropriately colored. At the opera I subscribe to they refuse to check both real and faux furs (I'm assuming "real" for liability reasonas and "faux" because they don't have time to try to determine whether a given garment is real or not).

[White Fox]

I mostly agree, but to a small degree disagree. Here is why.

 

I can remember some beautiful and nice imitation leopard coats back in the late sixties and awhile after. I can remember some fantastic imitation lynx coats from that period on until maybe the late 80's. I remember at one point seeing an imitation hooded mink that even had a serial number in it. Even I had a hard time tilling it from original. And yet none of these persisted. I think that most if not all of them would run a good race with anything today. I can't remember the prices. Maybe they were waymore expensive. Anyhow, gone they have been for so long.

 

W

[Worker 11811]

...right up until the moment you touch them then the illusion is broken.

 

Like I said, there are some faux furs that look good from a distance. Some even look good from fairly close up. But, the second you touch them, you know they aren't real.

 

I'm not saying faux fur is bad, per se. It's just not the same as real.

There are plenty of good reasons to use faux fur.

 

First, is durability and ease of cleaning. You don't have to worry about getting a faux fur cleaned as much as a real fur and it doesn't wear out as easily.

 

Second, is cost. Only the best faux fur rivals real fur in price. Even then, it's usually because of the designer instead of cost of raw materials. There may be some super premium faux furs that are expensive but 90% or more are cheaper.

 

It's also a good thing for kids who want to wear fur like their moms and dads but who aren't ready to take care of a real fur yet. Give them a faux fur until they can learn how to take care of the real thing.

 

The only type of faux that can really come close to real fur iis that alpaca and mohair stuff I mentioned above. But that's one of those things that's neither completely real nor completely fake. It's an animal product that's refined by man.

 

No matter how you slice it, I think it's a great way to warm people up to the real thing.

[JGalanos]

it's a great way to warm people up to the real thing.

 

Most definitely. Don't know if I ever mentioned it during one of my ramblings but I bought a faux fur and got used to wearing it a couple years before I invested in the real thing. I was not going to spend money on a fine fur just to have it hang in the closet (like so many of the furs you see offered for sale on ebay have). I got used to the look and feel of the coat (nice faux sable) and assessed things like coat and sleeve length and sweep so I could make informed decisions when designing my first real fur coat (my still lovely and not exactly subtle silver fox).

[FurLoverinFL]

I think I've mentioned before that I picked up 2 very high quality faux furs last spring. While no one will ever mistake the red fox from a real red fox. It is extremely difficult to tell my real mink from my faux mink... if you look up close, they are pretty easy to tell apart and once you touch them, there is no mistaking real from faux. All things considered though, they are a quantum leap from some of the fake-furs I remember back in the 1970s. The points Worker makes are well taken - (1) the faux furs are durable enough to withstand the Florida heat & humidity (those things are probably bad for any fur, but the faux furs certainly don't need storage and professional cleaning); (2) all that is need for a cleaning is a quick toss in the laundry on the 'gentle' cycle; and (3) I saved several thousand dollars on the costs of 2 new real furs. As bad as times are, I'd just as soon save where I can.

 

FLinFL

[Guest]

As good as fake fur gets it's still petroleum and I'm allergic to it.

 

In addition, fake just does not have the thermal and moisture dynamics of real fur.

 

OFF

[Kappa]

The last few days last week, this thread came to mind. I don't remember seeing so much faux fur than I did at school. This thread came to mind and I wanted to comment then but my computer was offline and waiting to be reloaded. It's a mix of both men and women that I see wearing either all faux or clothes with faux accents. The only thing that would put it over the top would be if it were all real but remembering who I've seen and the location (at a college) I would be very surprised, although happily surprised that is..