Furs That Nature Never Intended

[stylegurrl]

NYT

 

[plasticine20]

Fur shouldn't be for any season!

 

[mikeijames]

no one ever *needs* fur...wearing fur is about decadence...why should that be limited to the wintry months...the thermostat stays in the low fifties in my office year-round.

 

[metal-on-metal]

For those who aren't registered with NYT.

Furs That Nature Never Intended

By RUTH LA FERLA

Published: April 27, 2004

When it comes to trends, Kal Ruttenstein, the fashion director of Bloomingdale's, has seen almost everything. But on encountering Carine Roitfeld, the editor of French Vogue, smothered in fur on a balmy day last month, he was slightly taken aback. Furs in the springtime? he asked, one eyebrow shooting skyward. "Why not?" she replied.

Why not indeed? As the season advances, style setters are putting a new spin on fur, trotting out sherbet-colored variations in rabbit, fox or mink to wear over jackets or as incongruous accents to tank tops and jeans. "We think women are wearing scaled-down furs with everything, in the daytime and at night," Mr. Ruttenstein said. "It's a trend, and it's definitely skewing young. These are not your mother's furs."

Other venturesome retailers are also showcasing candy-colored fur shrugs, collars and stoles. "Fur is becoming seasonless," said Ed Burstell, the general manager of Henri Bendel in New York. Diminutive fur jackets and ribbon-tied stoles from makers like Adrienne Landau sell at Bendel's for $200 to $800.

Accessible prices are just part of the draw. Premier furriers like J. Mendel and Giuliana Teso are showing furs in lighter and more supple versions. "Knitting and shearing techniques have gotten more sophisticated," said Keith Kaplan, the executive director of the Fur Information Council of America. At a presentation this month, the council introduced fanciful knitted shawls and evening wraps meant to stand in for pashmina, sheared mink sweaters and even a sable coat unexpectedly lined in chiffon.

"If designers go on creating products that are light enough and inexpensive enough," Mr. Kaplan predicted, "this trend will have staying power."

 

[brian]

Originally posted by mikeijames@Apr 28th, 2004 - 8:35 pm
no one ever *needs* fur...wearing fur is about decadence...why should that be limited to the wintry months...the thermostat stays in the low fifties in my office year-round.

...I agree!

 

[brian]

Oh! And thank you, chickonspeed, for posting the article here for those who get annoyed that they have to sign up with the NYT website I think everyone should do this for articles of interest from their site out of consideration.

 

[chocsta]

Thank you chickonspeed

Fur year-round is really too much... fur and summer just don't go together, no matter how "fashionable" it is.