 Beautifully Canadian: reflecting fur’s renewed popularity
New styles at NAFFEM target younger generation The new collections launched at the Montreal NAFFEM (May 2 – 4, at the Exhibition) confirm the new directions the international fur industry is taking for Winter 2010 – 2011. Fur has a new look, a je ne sais quoi that shows fur makers are looking beyond baby boomers to capture the next generations of fur consumers. Buoyed by fur’s omnipresence in international designer’s runways at recent Fashion Weeks from Milan to New York, the fur industry is making a concerted effort to show consumers that fur is more stylish, versatile and accessible than ever. And for the younger generations demanding authenticity, honesty and transparency in advertising claims, the fur industry now has two reliable tools: the International Trade Federation’s Origin Assured or OA Label, that ensures that fur pelts come from countries where high production standards are in place, and the Fur Council of Canada’s Beautifully Canadian label, that identifies furs made in Canada according to strictly governed ethical practices.
Industry reassurance and the opulent lure of fur have thoroughly seduced emerging designers as well as established international labels. Over 1600 fur looks were included in their recently launched collections for Winter 10/11. Designers use fur to add prestige and media interest to their brand but also because the innovation possibilities fur offers can add a large dose of creativity and luxurious uniqueness to a Fall/Winter collection.
At the Montreal NAFFEM, international fur exhibitors were clearly aiming to bring fur to a wider audience. New fur styles for next winter season are young, fresh and accessible. And, in an effort to capture the hearts and closet space of younger generations, a wide variety of new fur products are also affordable - despite recent record pelt prices.
Small pieces and accessories are part of practically all collections. Short jackets mixing higher-end and moderate-priced fur types offer fashion interest and affordability. Shrugs, boleros and vests are all the rage as well as budget-sensible. Oversized neck rings and scarves in fur are trendy, luxurious-looking and warm! Fur plates, a fabric-like patchwork of recycled surplus fur pieces, provide incredible surface patterns at very affordable prices. Fur accessories, from bonnets, earmuffs and handbags to sophisticated stoles and small capes are stylish items ideally suited to introduce new consumers to fur, as are fur/fabric combinations, fur/wool-knits and fur trims on almost anything!
Serious furs were also prominently in view at NAFFEM, with new and renewed features. Mink, the all-time favorite, is now silk-sheared and printed, has a fabric-like hand and is feather- weight. Persian lamb and higher-end broadtail are used as base furs and trimmed with all kinds of different fur-types. Wild furs are mixed and matched in patchwork patterns or in different pile lengths for extra volume and a shaggy look… to supply extra texture and a super stylish look! Chinchilla is worked in gorgeous horizontal patterns that highlight even more its ultra-glam volume and look. Sable is used in full furs at the highest-end and as opulent detailing in lower price ranges.
Wild furs, the Canadian industry specialty, are played two ways: tamed with sophisticated details or made to look even wilder. Shearing and carving patterns on beaver are as popular as ever; intarsia effects on beaver adorn majestic coats and glamorous short pieces with intricate patterns of flowers and birds or paisley motifs. But beaver is also mixed with lynx, coyote and wild foxes for an oversized volume effect, especially in huge hoods and in detachable collars and cuffs that are sure to turn heads. The fur silhouette of the season is totally about style, not protection from the elements. The line of the new coatdress in fur is architecturally clean, collarless and with short or opera sleeves. At NAFFEM this silhouette was interpreted in a myriad ways and made more commercially viable by adding detachable collars and zippered extensions for the sleeves. Are these innovative approaches to fur and the positive and optimistic mood that reigned this year at NAFFEM harbingers of the end of a global recession and the beginning of a new fashion era for fur? Everything points in that direction. www.FurIsGreen.com www.BeautifullyCanadian.com www.iftf.com Fur Portal Worldwide, May 10, 2010
|
