Fur Sales on the Rise for Holiday Season

FUR INFORMATION COUNCIL OF AMERICA PRESS RELEASE, NOVEMBER 23, 1999
Fur Sales on the Rise for Holiday Season
WASHINGTON, DC: Predicted as the number one fashion trend for the fall/winter season by every major fashion magazine, fur is back in a big way. Fur sales are on the rise for the beginning selling months of October and November, according to the Fur Information Council of America. Fur retailers are projecting a double-digit increase over last yearís sales numbers.
“For the month of October, the sales figures chain-wide for Maximilian Furs at Bloomingdale’s are up 22% from last year. We are seeing early customer interest in luxury high end furs like chinchilla, sable and broadtail,” said Leslie Freund, Marketing Director for Maximilian at Bloomingdale’s. “There is also a strong interest in luxury fibers with fur trim like cashmere pieces and sporty fashions of better quality, such as Fendissime Shearling (designed by the house of Fendi).”
Terry Thornton, Associate Divisional Merchandise Manager of Furs and Coats at Neiman Marcus, is very pleased that Neiman’s sales are exceeding last year. “Driven by designer lines and the fashion trends, we have been selling more furs, especially in West Coast areas like Denver.”
Fur sales have increased 10% in the last four years. In 1999, every American fashion magazine identified fur as a major fashion trend in their fall issues. U.S. retail fur sales were $1.21 billion in 1998 compared to 1994 when the market reached only $1.10 billion in sales.
“According to a nationwide survey of our members, retailers are seeing a 10% increase in sales already this season,” says Carol Wynne, Executive Director of the Fur Information Council of America. “With the combined factors of the overwhelming fashion coverage and use of fur on the fashion runways, a strong economy and dropping temperatures, the fur industry is looking forward to a profitable holiday season.”
There are more designers working with fur today than in the ’80s. In 1985, only 42 fashion designers were creating fur fashions. Today, there are well over 200 renowned designers using fur in their collections.
More people buy fur in New York than in any other city, followed closely by Chicago. Surprisingly, young women, ages 24-44, buy the most fur. One in five women in the U.S. own a fur coat.
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For further information contact Fur Commission USA.
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