Furs in London

[Funinfox]

I was in Harrods today and the selection of furs compared to previous years was fantastic! In the past few years the selection has been minimal. Today on the ground floor in the accessories section you have fur hats, stoles and mink jackets. On the first floor you have coats with fur trims, mink , sable and even a couple of fox jackets. One of the ones I particularly liked was a sable jacket with a very large fox collar unfortunately it was £60K not unexpected in Harrods really. I'll have to go back when the sales start . I can really recomend it to anyone who may be in London and has the time to visit Harrods. The furs aren't all in the same are so you have to walk around to see them all. I don't believe any of the other department stores sell furs. I was in Selfridges today and there weren't any. In fact in Selfridges there was a Michael Kors faux fox fur coat whereas in Harrods there had been a really nice Michael Kors real fox coat . If anyone knows of other department stores that now sell furs please let me know.

 

Cheers,

Funinfox

[White Fox]

This is exactly the type of post that is so great to hear! I've been trying to remember. Did Harrod's not make a huge deal of not handling furs just a few years back? So great to see these messages!

[samurman]

Harrods has been quietly featuring a lot of furs for some time, and this is the reason the anti-fur protesters are staging protests there. The accessories section on the ground floor have had fur hats, stoles, knit mink jackets and fox trimmed cashmere capes for a few years. In the first floor, there is a Dennis Basso section. Although it is not as big as a fully featured boutique, it nevertheless has some magnificent furs-sable, lynx and such. Apart from that, the London based furrier Hockley Furs also feature some of their furs on the first floor. The sable jacket you have seen most probably carried the Hockley label. Furthermore, the French fur label Yves Salomon's furs are sold in the "luxury collections" salon on the first floor (http://www.yves-salomon.fr/). The well-known designers, from Fendi to Roberto Cavalli, from Prada to Gucci each have furs in their respective sections as featured in their collections. And finally, on the third floor, the Home section has some beautiful and very expensive fur throws and other accessories from such labels as Fendi.

 

So yes, Harrods has lots of furs, and I have not even counted furs worn by the customers!

[Funinfox]

Hi all

 

Just a quick update. I went to Harrods again today and there are big sales on their furs. Unfortunately even 50% off a huge price still leaves a very large price For example there was a very good looking Tom Ford Silver fox jacket with 50% off. So instead of being £22,500 it is now only £11,250 Still worth visiting though.

 

Happy New Year to all!

 

Funinfox

p.s. can anyone confirm that none of the other major department stores in London sell real fur?

[furrybob]

I always make a point of visiting Harrods when i'm in London.

The furs in Dennis Basso are just too fancy (eg SABLE with crocodile!!). A couple of years ago they had a full length SABLE, which I should have tried on, but didin't. They haven't had anything similar since.

The other furs on that floor (1st) are also a good look, especially in Loro Pana.

The furs on the floor below are just as interesting. Up to the end of December (2011), there was a knitted SABLE jacket, but was gone before I could try it.

The mens dept aslo has some furs, I saw a MINK bag, (sort of like a duffel bag), but I couldn't see how a price of £8000 (~£6300 in sale ) could be justified. Also Loro Pana has some nice fur bed covers.

I am usually dressed in my MINK coat, with Chinchilla scarf, with MINK or FOX hat, and fur lined gloves, so to try anything on means removing my furs, which Iprefer not to do.

 

Happy Furry new year

Furry_Bob

[White Fox]

Bob, have you ever noticed though how much more attention people in Fur stores and Jewellery stores and such pay to you when you are wearing fur? I notice that all of the time. I'll go in and they are talking to me and asking questions and talking freely. Then next time if I go in without fur, they often hardly glance my way.

[furrybob]

Hi,

I sometimes find that sales assistants are very keen to help, and it is especially pleasant when they (usually female) admire the furs I am wearing. It's even great when they want to touch them.

Anyway, on my last visit to Harrods (last weekend), I went to the Dennis Basso room, just looking at the rather weird furs, and not expecting to seeing anything of interest.

However on a rail there was a very long (3m) SABLE scarf.

The assistant was keen when I asked to try it. I checked the effect in a mirror, and woe, I had to have it.

I tried to bargain with her, but she claimed that as it was reduced by 70%, she couldn't accept my offer of £2500, so I ended up paying a bit more!

Upset my fur budget a bit!!

[White Fox]

Wow! 3 M! That would be fantastic! Would love to have that one. If you find you don't like it you can always just forward it to me.

[furrybob]

I must stop visiting the Dennis Basso outlet in Harrods. I might even be one of their beat customers.

 

I saw a SABLE hat, which was in their reduced section which I had to try on. Just about to buy it, when I noticed another SABLE hat (sort of a ushanka design), and tried that as well.

No contest I had to have it. My 2012 fur budget is more depleted!

So I am the proud owner of 4 SABLE items, and hope to able to upgrade! my MINK coat to a reversable SABLE coat.

[auzmink]

furrybob, good decision choice......I wish I had the option here for sable in Auz, but not yet.....

 

Auzmink

[furrybob]

Probably the last time this year to wear my MINK coat, so that is waht I did last Thursday (10th May). Fortunately a coolish day, with rain and overcast sky.

So together with with SABLE hat, and long SABLE scarf, to Harrods I went. Of course visited DENNIS BASSO, and saw a pretty good SABLE coat. Plucked up courage and asked if I could try it on, not really expecting it to happen.

 

"Of course" said the female assistant, and I stripped off my coat, had and scarf. It was magnificent, but very slightly too small, but it had a marvellous large hood. I didn't think I liked hoods, but this one was so large and soft!

 

It taught me a lesson, that (as usual) 'nothing ventured etc', and I must make sure that when I see a fur a would like to try, I must be brave and ask to try it. After all, if I do buy it (eventually) the sales person will get a good commision.

 

Anyway I checked the appearance in a mirror, but I (stupidly) didn't think to add my long SABLE scarf to see the effect. Next time I guess.

Of course I didn't buy it as it was at the elevated prices normaly seen in this department. It was around £27000. Phew. A bit out of my price range!

 

Great experience though, and my long SABLE scarf was appreciated in the ground floor FUR section.

 

Looking forward to the cooler temperatures hopefully in as early as September, so to start next year's fur season.

Bob

[furrybob]

Visited Harrods again, as usual, I was wearing my MINK coat and 3m SABLE scarf, together with a SABLE hat. The last time was end of October, when I tried some SABLE coats at DENNIS BASSO. They were smallish, also tried a FOX coat (on ground floor).

In the mens department I tried a CHINCHILLA lined cashmere jacket. very nice. Forgot to ask if I could try it with my MINK coat.

 

However this time I spotted a very nice SABLE coat in Yves Salomon in a smallish department behind DENNIS BASSO.

Very nice, but needed slightly bigger stlye with longer sleeves.

On the ground floor, there wasn't very much in there own fur area, but I then spotted a coat in the FENDI area on a manequin.

It was a SABLE long jacket (3/4 length) with a knitted MINK lining (It was perfect.) I tried it on, with my SABLE scarf, and also with my MINK coat.

The combination worked well. the assistant said that she had other coats in their first floor department (i didn't realise that they had one!).

I went there and met the assistant, and pursuaded me to try some more furs. There was a short CHINCHILLA coat with a large sweep, and to get an idea of size, I tried a size 44 MINK coat.

 

I did notice a SABLE on the rail, but as time was short ( I had to meet my wife for lunch) I wasn't able to try the SABLE and MINK item with this SABLE coat.

Next time I hope that will happen. That means I will be wearing about £60,000 to £70,000 of fur.

 

Now looking forward to a re-visit, when I hope to have more time, as there were several other departments in the vicinity with some lovely furs.

[White Fox]

Wow! What a fantastic experience!

 

W

[furrybob]

Just returned from a London visit to Harrods. I was wearing my MINK coat, CHINCHILLA/FOX scarf, CHINCHILLA gloves, MINK tie and MINK cap. Checked out Denis Basso, Yves Salomon and Fendi, and some other franchises, and most of the best furs weren't there. Shame. It was a bit disappointing, but I guess it was the end of the season.

 

Howver, I visited Loro Pana, not really expecting to see very much, and the sales assistant asked if she could help. As it happened on my way to London I noticed that my CHINCHILLA lined gloves were showing the signs of wear. In fact some of the fur had come out, especially in the fingers.

I said I was looking for some gloves, and she pulled out a drawer of what looked like cashmere (lined) gloves. I asked if she had any fur gloves, expecting to see some rabbit lined gloves.

 

WOW, she showed me some fur lined gloves, but the fur was MINK. They were so soft. They were a bit expensive (£1200) (what does one expect from Loro Pana), but I had to have them.

 

When she was about to wrap them, I told her not to bother, as I was going to wear them straight away.

 

Any way my wife also bought some cashmere gloves, (~£60), and was afraid of loosing them as they were so expensive!! Later it turned out that they didn't actually keep her hands warm. I keep trying to tell her to wear fur to keep her warm, but she just doesn't get it. (Not yet).

 

While I was on the the first floor I did spotted a MINK gilet, which I tried on. I didn't buy it as it was a little small for me even though it was a large size, and it had a collar which I didn't want.

Also it was rather expensive, at about £5000, I'll need to ask Kostas at mailon furs for a quote.

 

We were on out way to a lunch and stopped at a hotel we have stayed in, for a coffee and aperatif (we needed to kill a bit of time).

A couple came in, and she was wearing a nice chevron cut full length black MINK coat. After a couple of minutes two of her friends came and joined them, and they both were wearing lovely full lenght black MINK coats. I've not seen some many MINKs so close together. Wonderful.

I of course had my own MINK coat on the chair next to me, together with my long SABLE scarf, my new MINK gloves, and MINK cap.

[Worker 11811]

I keep trying to tell her to wear fur to keep her warm, but she just doesn't get it. (Not yet).

 

A common problem...

 

I bought my wife a fur coat but, at first, she wouldn't wear it. She thought it was too expensive and should be worn only on special occasions.

 

One evening, we were going out for dinner when I badgered her into wearing her new fur. The temperature was -10F. When she went outside and discovered how warm the fur coat was, she changed her mind about wearing it. Now she wears it whenever it's cold. She even wears it to the grocery store.

 

If your wife is half as sensitive to cold as my wife is, get her to try wearing fur when it's cold. She'll change her mind in about half a minute.

[furrybob]

I did buy my wife a fur coat when she was a size 22. It is a reversible waterproof coat lined with weasel.

Now she has lost quite a bit of weight, it's a bit big for her, but she still says it doesn't keep her warm. I think possibly that the fur isn't thick enough, perhaps should be MINK. It has a rather open neckline, and I've tried persuading her to wear one of my fur scarves, but she reckons that one of her cashmere scarves is ideal. It is an up hill battle.

Incidentally, I have worn the above weasel coat as an under garment, followed by my MINK lined cardigan, and either my MINK jacket, or MINK coat, with suitable acccesories. That configuration provided sufficient insulation.

[Worker 11811]

Ours is beaver. Fox trim around the collar and lapels. We chose it because beavers are winter animals that live in water. It's supposed to be one of the warmest furs and its supposed to be one of the most durable.

 

She probably wouldn't have liked it so much if it was mink. She says she likes "fluffy" furs the most.

 

One problem is that a lot of women won't tell you why they actually don't like something.

[Guest]

It's called Loro Piana, not Loro Pana.

 

Tricia