Faking it… all day and night

Some argue that fur has always been an intrinsic part of our lives; it was of the first materials to be worn and is still used today by indigenous people. The fur trade was hugely influential in the exploration of North America. Here, fur was a driving force and a way to forge alliances with the natives. In the words of Richard White, an economic historian, ‘the fur trade occupied part of a “middle ground” in which Europeans and Indians sought to accommodate their cultural differences”. This is where the multi-billion dollar industry began.

The process of tanning a pelt is much more complex than first imagined, involving numerous chemicals, enzymes, bleaches, oils and greases, dyes, reinforcing agents, toners, tanners and more finishing chemicals. Lost? Well there is more to consider! There are grades of fur, rare furs and even a process to increase the felting quality; ‘carroting’ is used by furriers to turn the tips a yellow red.

The most controversial sector of the fur industry is undoubtedly the fur farms. Although fur farms are banned in the UK, more than 6000 exist in the EU and Europe is famed for its furs. Mink is the most farmed animal, with foxes a close second. As ever with large scale farming, living conditions vary dramatically. Reports of unsanitary, enclosed cages are not uncommon, particularly in rabbit farms. Disease and respiratory problems are often rife. New laws and campaigns are making this style of farming difficult to make viable, with countries like Switzerland making it so tough that fur farms have ceased to exist there.

The demand for fur clothing is peaking once again. Fashion of the 80s and 90s rejected the material entirely with numerous anti-fur campaigns starring models such as Naomi Campbell, who ironically now has a fur coat named after her. Nowadays, high street brands such as M&S and Monsoon have banned fur, with luxury department stores Selfridges and Harvey Nicholls following suit. Despite this, something has started to make us crave fur again. Perhaps it’s the associations of luxury and extravagance. Perhaps it’s the new techniques being employed, or disposable income in Russia and China.

One has to wonder if our awareness of what is legal and illegal has echoed fur’s rediscovered popularity. You might be surprised to know that both cat and dog fur is legal to wear in the UK, along with mink, fox, some seal skins and rabbit. Pete Burns’ ‘gorilla’ coat in 2006 was identified as illegal, with tiger and jaguar furs following suit and river otters and platypus tailing behind.

For the first time in twenty years, more designers are using fur than not. This is the result of a marketing campaign, aimed at young, talented designers. Furriers have been ploughing prodigies, such as Alexander Wang, with free furs. Needless to say, Wang’s Autumn/Winter collection did feature fur. After receiving much acclaim, larger and more historical houses are joining the trend. Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel has defended his use of fur in the past, and Fendi and Prada often use the material in their haute couture collections. Jean Paul Gaultier’s autumn/winter ’08 collection was made memorable by the fur coat with bobbing fox heads that he sent down the runway. This growing obsession with luxury furs has culminated in several designers (Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera for example), having separate fur collections alongside their mainstream shows.

Some fur lovers prefer to buy old rather than new. There are several ways to identify vintage furs when browsing eBay or in store. Firstly, identify the species and do a little research; certain species were in vogue at various times: Jackie Kennedy shot leopard skin to fame after all! Secondly, locate the label and, yes, more research. Find out about the store or manufacturer at the time to ensure authenticity. Finally, analyse the cut of the coat as it will probably reflect the style of the time. Vintage furs are beautiful and certainly have character but, particularly for more exotic varieties, be aware that some may require a certificate, even if they were produced before 1945.

There is a second part to the skins industry; leather. Leather is simply the tanned skin of an animal. There are hundreds of ways to create this material; the most commonly used being vegetable tanning and synthetic tanning. Like furs, leathers have different grades, dependent on the ‘grain’ of the leather, which in turn affects the value. Most leather materials are made from cattle hides; however pigskin, deer, alligator and snake are also used. Until recently, kangaroo hide was commonly used to make motorbike leathers because of its suppleness. Fashion-wise ostrich is the most sought after leather, with Hermès, Gucci and Louis Vuitton exploiting its ‘goosebump’ characteristic. The skins industry is riddled with animal rights, ethics and history, however it is too big, too successful and too rooted in our past to attempt to stamp out. For the moment, lock up your dogs, cats and gorillas, the fur-lovers have come to town.

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