Fur restyling

[Aliceinfur]

As I have already said, I have a fur coat that’s old fashioned and too big for me and I have decided to restyle it.

I have visited two different furriers here in Montreal (Dubarry and Samuel) and I have an appointment with Oliver tomorrow.

I have been asked for such different prices for the same job that I am confused. Dubarry asked for 950$, Samuel for 1400 and Oliver (I will see him tomorrow but we have already exchanged some emails) for only 650$.

Do you think that this price difference means a quality difference?

I don’t want to screw up the coat but I don’t want to pay for nothing either.

Last year Oliver did the new lining of both my mink coat and my mink stole. The mink coat was perfect but the stole wasn’t. I had to fix it later with Samuel, in fact. The monogram wasn’t what a I expected either. It was sewn on the lining, like a label, not directly embroidered.

What would you do?

[AKcoyote]

My opinion is that the 3 furriers have totally different ideas of what their time is worth. Also, I think Oliver is more eager for your business - this is mostly based on the pricing discounts he has been offering to the previous customers of his eBay stores.

 

My experience has been that the quality of a furrier's work is NOT reflected in the price they charge.

 

I am guessing, but I suspect that on the stole re-lining you did not explicitly specify that you wanted the monogram embroidered on the lining.

[Aliceinfur]

Thanks for your answer, AK Coyote.

Your guess is correct: I didn’t specify. He followed my instructions for all the other things.

We even went together to buy fabric for the lining because I didn’t like the colours he had.

I am sure that tomorrow he will take a long time to talk to me and find out exactly what I want.

It’s not a difficult work. I just want the coat to be semi fitted with straight sleeves (I have sent a picture). And I want to have a scarf made with the leftovers. Easy peasy.

[skandinavikfur]

hi

my advice is to go and check their work that have done or check their furs ,some furriers are better some less.but in your case that you need a remodeling i guess any furrier can do it,i do not think that any furrier with experience of 5 years and more with mink will spoil your coat its an easy work

[Aliceinfur]

Thanks!

Finally Oliver is doing the job. He took his time to talk to me to know what I really want and look for alternatives. Once we had talked he called Michelle, the guy that will be actually doing the job, and it was great. He explained me that it was better to respect the original A line of the coat and fit it with a belt because otherwise the length of the guard hair would not match.

He showed me a picture of a similar work he is doing.

We’ll meet in two weeks for a toile.

Finally it will be a bit more expensive (1.100 Canadian dollars) but I am convinced that this is the best option.

I have heard before that you can’t transform an A line coat into a semi fitted and I was surprised when both Dubarry and Samuel told me it was doable. Oliver also told me that it could be done, so it’s great he really checked with the designer before.

[skandinavikfur]

is it with let out technique?propably thats why if its with let out

[Aliceinfur]

It is let out technique. So you mean you can do it with a let out technique one?

[minkme]

Converting A line to semi fitted is possible

They would need to cut and resew all the pelts, lots of work.

[Aliceinfur]

You mean cutting all the strips that form a pelt?? Because that is ... wow, too much!

[minkme]

Correct. They will then taper the pelts to make it look fitted.

[skandinavikfur]

in greece that would cost around 300 usd

[auzmink]

If you have some sewing skills, why not do it yourself. Much more rewarding and lots more fur time. Basically take the coat apart, lining etc.

Take the sleeves off at the shoulder and undo the coat seam at the shoulder top.

Essentially you will have a flat large plate of fur, and with some careful use of the sleeves in the gap left by the shoulder, you can make a not so rectangular blanket. Put on a nice wool / cashmere lining and everyone will want to snuggle under it in Winter. Racoon is a nice thick blanket, mink can be done by reversing some of the strips every so often so the pile goes 2 ways, but it works on a blanket. Fox can be more delicate, but I am into making more now and it is very rewarding.....that loved coat will sit on your knees all days while you patiently sew it up.