It's Fur Without Fear on New York Fashion Runways

[Guest guest]

[This is just precious, not only are we still chopping

down the rain forest, but now we're also 100% back to

proudly killing exotic animals for their fur. Looks

like the environmental awareness, & animal rights

awareness, that took place back in the 60's & 70's has

now fallen by the wayside. Doesn't say much for our

species, to say the least! Rick. ]

 

 

It's Fur Without Fear on New York Fashion Runways

 

Mon Feb 7,12:55 PM ET

 

Reuters

 

By Ellen Wulfhorst

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fur is back and prominently

displayed by top designers this week on New York's

fashion runways, with nary a peep of protest.

 

 

 

Not so long ago, a woman in fur might fear a hail of

insults and a pail of paint getting lobbed her way,

while the designer would face a pelting of tomatoes.

But clever marketing, hip-hop culture and the

perpetual lure of luxury are bringing fur out of the

closet, experts say.

 

Sales are up and the average age of buyers is down.

 

U.S. sales among traditional fur retailers hit a

record $1.8 billion in the 2003 season, a 7.5 percent

increase over the previous year, according to the Fur

Information Council of America. Ten years ago, fur

sales were about $1.1 billion.

 

More than half the customers are under age 44, the

council said.

 

Innovations making fur more versatile -- it's often

sheared, dyed or knitted -- have been key, said Keith

Kaplan, the council's executive director.

 

" Designers have discovered the creativity and

adaptability of fur, " he said. " It can be used now as

any other fabric. "

 

A recent survey by Women's Wear Daily showed

three-quarters of 200 high-end specialty stores carry

fur, and most of the remaining stores planned to add

it.

 

Buying fur like never before are men and younger

consumers, particularly in the hip-hop world, experts

say.

 

" People are taking 'bling' to the next level, " said

fashion analyst Irma Zandl. " It's one thing to throw

red paint on (Vogue editor) Anna Wintour, and quite

another to throw it on P Diddy and J Lo. "

 

PETA CHANGES

 

Anti-fur activists insist the battle is far from over.

 

A move by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

to stage its own fashion shows in New York rather than

disrupt others shows how the anti-fur perspective has

been accepted by the mainstream, said spokeswoman Lisa

Franzetta.

 

Dyeing, shearing and knitting fur are attempts by the

industry to distance itself from its product, she

said.

 

" A lot of the real fur we're seeing these days is

being styled so that it looks fake, " she said. " It's a

very deliberate attempt on behalf of the fur industry

to disassociate the fur from the animal. "

 

More than two years have passed since PETA grabbed

headlines with a protest at a Victoria's Secret show.

This week, it plans a protest at the show of fur

designer J. Mendel.

 

It also unveiled an ad campaign on Monday with former

basketball star Dennis Rodman, featuring the heavily

tattooed celebrity posing naked, with the slogan

" Think Ink, Not Mink. "

 

 

 

Fur's role as a status symbol is hard to shake, and

its absence may have made the heart grow fonder, said

Ben Gomes of fashion and trend information company

OPR.

 

" Tell me I can't have something, and I want it, " he

said.

 

Observers also say other issues such as war may have

overshadowed concern over animal rights in recent

years.

 

Marketing fur to women, like the successful " right

hand diamond " campaign, may account for a surge in

popularity as women spend their own money on luxury

items, said Paco Underhill, head of market research

company Envirosell.

 

" If a guy can spend it on hunting and fishing

equipment, why can't you spend it on fur? Why should

your expenditure be any less politically correct than

his? " Underhill asked.

 

Designers showing this week who use fur include

fashion fixtures such as Carolina Herrera, Michael

Kors and Oscar de la Renta as well as young designer

Alice Roi, who will be using fur in a collection for

the first time.

 

Nearly 400 designers worldwide use fur in some form in

their collections, compared with 42 a decade ago, said

Kaplan.

 

Source >

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