After years of animal rights and vegan-led anti-fur campaigns, many have declared it dead. Yet the truth emerging from the catwalks is that fur remains very much alive. Certainly, many brands retreat into the (more affordable) comfort zone of synthetic imitations. Others, to avoid alienating certain sections of the public, opt for hair-on hides such as shearling to achieve a similar effect. However, there are still many who, staying truer to their own style than to market trends, continue to use real fur. It exerts an undeniable allure and represents a status symbol that, despite years of hostility, has never truly been shaken.
Fur is alive
A press review confirms fur’s enduring presence through two distinct perspectives. The first comes from Vogue Business, which acknowledges, through the January and February fashion shows, the resilience of fur—whether authentic, merely evoked, or simply imitated. “After decades of campaigns”, the article states, “by 2018, fur had effectively been exiled. However, its resurgence has been as swift as its marginalisation”. The editors of Vogue do not appear particularly pleased with this development; they continue to favour vegan alternatives or recycling initiatives. Alternatively, they suggest that the rise of conservatism in politics may be influencing fashion. Nevertheless, they are forced to admit: despite attempts to make fur “symbolise something evil and immoral”, it retains its prestige. It continues to appeal to those who seek garments that express “wealth and luxury”.
Not just an illusion
The second perspective comes from Libero. Their fur monitor at the latest fashion weeks highlights just how much real fur appeared on the catwalks. In New York, for instance, it accounted for around 40% of the total showcased. But this is not merely a matter of perception—the same newspaper reports commercial evidence to support fur’s resilience. Parisian furrier Sam Rone, for example, boasts rising sales. They sought to dethrone the queen—yet the queen lives on.
Pictured: three Prada looks from social media embracing fur’s image and volumes
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