Fur or Faux
Despite controversy, popularity on rise

By Kristi L. Gustafson, Staff writer

LIGHT AND DARK, SHEARED AND LONG HAIR, JACKETS AND COATS: Furs drape over the ivory couch and weigh down the backs of the modern dining room chairs in Andrea Mayone's impeccable town house in Troy.

Mayone, 38, dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved, dark purple turtleneck and stylish black boots, proudly displays her fur collection as her two Norwich Terriers dance around her feet.

She loves her furs, and she's not alone: Fur, in the form of coats, jackets, wraps, accessories, trim and more, has made a comeback, hitting the runways and closets of many women (and, in this country, almost solely women) this winter.

Despite controversy surrounding fur wearing, its popularity is on the rise, with more than 200 designers employing it in their collections for 1999-2000, as opposed to 45 designers in 1985, according to the Fur Information Council of America.

As the fashion frenzy for fur explodes, animal activists, including members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, are in a fury.

"Wearing fur anything comes from disrespect and arrogance,'' said Kim Krier, coordinator of PETA's anti-fur campaign. "It has nothing to do with fashion or warmth and everything to do with greed.''

Mayone disagreed, saying she's neither greedy nor disrespectful, but that each person has the right to dress as he or she wants.

"If we all liked the same thing, life would be boring. I do not wear fur to oppose or upset anyone. I love it on these frigid days.''

Early Traders
As fashion, fur dates back to the early 1600s, when Native Americans began trading with the Dutch. Based near the port of Albany, the New Netherland Co. was a leading trader in the fur industry.

The Dutch continued to trade in fur and keep it at the fashion forefront until the late 1650s, when a scarcity in beavers, the prized fur of the time, caused the fur trade to fall off, according to Charles Ghering, director of the New Netherland Project, sponsored by the New York State Library.

Although fur came in and out of style, it remained popular for its practicality throughout the next three centuries.

"Whether fur was being worn for fashion, one thing remained, regardless of the time in history,'' said Teresa Platt, executive director of Fur Commission USA. "The package our dinner came in was always used for warmth.''

All-Week Wear
In the 1980s, society viewed fur strictly as status symbol, to be worn by the elite to church or black-tie events. That belief is essentially passé and fur has become all-week wear, with retailers and consumers returning to naming its barrier against the cold as the No. 1 attraction when it comes to outerwear.

"There is nothing warmer than a fur,'' said Mayone. "Once you own one, you'll never go back.''

Mayone, who works for a local utility company, freely calls herself a fur lover and collector. She has purchased six coats since she was in her mid-20s and has a few matching headbands.

She wears one of her furs every day, even with sweatpants when she takes her two terriers, Summer and Cooper, for pre-dawn walks.

That idea of warmth as the principal selling factor during the recent resurgence is echoed by Jeanne Carmel, owner of Beck Furs at Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany.

"Today's gal is wearing fur and it's not so much for status,'' said Carmel. "Many customers return to tell us how much they love the style of their garment, but more comment on how the insulation is unbeatable.'' That's expected, since fur has naturally kept animals warm for millions of years in sometimes subzero temperatures.

Knitwear Design
Mayone was first struck by the "magnificence'' of fur while shopping for shoes at Cohoes Fashions, then located in Cohoes Commons. "I went in to look at shoes and came out with a fur coat,'' said Mayone. "It was completely an impulse buy. I had no intention of going into the fur store (in Cohoes), let alone buying a $3,700 coat!''

The coat - a blond-highlighted, full-length beaver fur from M. Zeller Furs in Cohoes - provided her with years of warmth, until she passed it along to her sister, wanting to share her love of fur with others.

M. Zeller Furs at Cohoes Fashions, now in Crossgates Mall, has been in the fur business for 25 years in the Capital Region and has seen a surge in sales among younger women the past few years.

"With the boom in the economy, many younger women are able, and eager, to purchase a fur,'' said Michael Cote, manager of M. Zeller Furs.

Cote has seen a migration toward sheared beaver and mink and fur spun into a knitwear design. Both the sheared and knitwear styles deviate from the typical full-length, long-haired coat, yet combine the warmth and style of fur into a lightweight, less-bulky design.

The knitwear line, in which fur is woven into a varied textured pattern, often on waffle-weave mesh, is most popular among Cote's younger customers, typically women age 30 to 40. The coats start at $1,995 and are typically worn casually.

Fur has gone from basic to bold, and many younger women are donning the new designs.

"Sheared furs dyed purple, green, blue and red, and jackets with hoods and zippers are grabbing the attention of many women. You're seeing it everywhere,'' said Cote.

Beck Furs introduced knitwear about three years ago and it proved immediately popular.

"Many gals like the originality and uniqueness of the newer styles and designs. It's not typical, and they like that,'' said Carmel.

Boost in Sales
Both M. Zeller Furs and Beck Furs saw a significant increase in sales this year over years past, with M. Zeller selling 45 coats in December alone, compared with approximately 25 in the same period a decade ago.

Fur sales in 1999 totaled $1.57 billion, a 30 percent increase in sales over 1998, according to the Fur Information Council.

Along with the luxurious feel of fur comes a luxurious cost - from a few thousand dollars to 10 or 20 times that. But if you want to get on the fur bandwagon but lack the cash, there's always the option of fake, or faux, fur.

For less than $40 you can procure a scarf, hat, fur-trimmed glove or even faux fur pants. Faux fur items are available at most any department store - from retailers like Wal-Mart and Kmart, TJ Maxx and Marshall's to Macy's and Lord & Taylor - and range greatly in cost.

Furor Eases
Although anti-fur activists in the '80s sometimes threw paint - or even blood - at fur wearers, the fear of being a target has waned in recent years. But controversy has surrounded fur-wearing since its inception.

"The pendulum always changes and the (anti-fur) activists have eased up,'' said fur designer Mary McFadden, whose garments are sold at Capital Region furriers.

"The strict fur farm and trapping regulations may have helped to ease some of the anti-fur activists' concerns,'' said Teresa Platt, of Fur Commission USA.

Platt said 80 percent of fur sold in the United States comes from fur farms, with the remaining from trappers. According to the Fur Commission, mink and fox farming were pioneered in North America almost a century ago, and today more than 40 million mink and fox pelts are produced on thousands of farms in the United States and many other countries each year.

Euthanization occurs on most farms through lethal injection, gassing or electrocution.

Trapping, one of the tools wildlife managers use to achieve balanced habitats, also is a way fur for clothing is obtained.

Both fur farms and trappers are regulated by state governments. Government agencies issue licenses to trappers and limit harvests.

Many PETA members believe fur harvesting of any sort is cruel and that people who support fur farmers and trappers by wearing fur dislike animals.

Mayone dismissed that idea.

"I'm fortunate - I've never been bothered or harassed. People seem to respect my decision. I love all animals,'' said Mayone.

Cruel or not, activists say that fur is simply unnecessary.

"Fur is frivolous,'' said Christine Mott, a Capital District representative of PETA. Mott said many synthetic fabrics keep wearers warm and do not involve the killing of animals.

"Fur may have been appropriate for cavemen or Indians, but the people I see wearing furs are not nomads. Their use of fur is in no way fashionable and strictly inhumane,'' said Mott.

While PETA works to spread its ideas, members attempt to do so in a calm and organized manner, she said.

"We don't go into the fur shops and cause a scene or throw paint at people,'' said Mott. "I don't believe these women look fashionable, but we are not out to ruin something that is their property.''

Accessorizing Essential
Over the past five years, fur has moved beyond outerwear. Fur pants, sweaters and fur collars and cuffs on shirts are popular everywhere - from the office to the dance club.

Women more often than not save the real fur for the warmth of outerwear and opt for faux fur when it comes to everyday clothing.

Another option for women who cannot afford a new coat but would like to give their current garment an update for 2000 is restyling.

"The majority of women who own a fur will get it restyled at least once,'' said Shaye Strager, director of media relations for the Fur Information Council. "It's an affordable way to update your fur look without the cost of a new garment.''

Because many women believe accessorizing is essential to complete or complement a look, designers and retailers have seen an explosion in sales of such items.

At Beck Furs, a small, wicker basket sits near the cash register and is filled with fur teddy bears, key chains and hair scrunchies.

"We overflow the basket a few times a week. We have trouble keeping up. It's amazing how quickly the accessories sell,'' said Carmel, the store's owner.

"Accessories have become, by far, the most popular item in our store,'' she said. "Many people give the key chains or teddy bears as gifts. It's a way to give someone fur and is affordable.'' Key chains cost $15; teddy bears, up to $29.95.

Fur wearers like Mayone have made their peace with their fashion choice.

She said, "I will always wear fur, until the day I die.''

NOTE:

The following letter written in response to this article was published in the Times Union, Feb. 5, 2000:

"Fur or Faux" Pleases Trade Organization

As director of the trade organization representing U.S. mink and fox farmers, we were pleased to see confirmation of the rising popularity of real fur for cold-weather dressing. (''Fur or faux,'' Jan. 29).

The U.S. fur farmers applaud the statement of commitment to nonconfrontational tactics (such as verbal or physical attacks) by the representative of supporters of petro-chemical-based synthetic garments (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA). Real fur or faux? Let it be a peaceful and cozy choice. Dress warmly. It's cold out there.

Teresa Platt Fur Commission USA Coronado, CA

For further information contact: Teresa Platt, Executive Director, Fur Commission USA, PMB 506, 826 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118-2698 USA, (619) 575-0139, (619) 575-5578/fax, furfarmers@aol.com, www.furcommission.com.

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