Knitch Magazine

The Dominance of Fur or How to Bring Out Your Hairy Beast This Season

As we’ve discussed in our Fashion Outlook article, there are so many trends for Fall 2011 that there is definitely something for everyone to update her wardrobe. But if we had to pick one trend that seemed to cross all styles and boundaries on the runways of New York, London, Paris and Milan, it would have to be the return of fur with a bang. And the terrific thing is that no matter what your feelings about fur versus faux fur, you’ll have oodles of choice when you make your next shopping trip.

Anny Blatt's Maida Coat

Of course, we are influenced by the fashions celebrities we like are sporting also. So when such a diverse range of celebs as Kate Moss, Rihanna, Victoria Beckham and the Olsen twins are wearing fur, we need to check out our options too. And when even Karl Lagerfeld, oh-so famous for keeping real fur in his designs during the protest years, has filled Chanel’s collection with “fantasy faux,” we know we can find something that’s great for all of us.

Burda 7279 Misses Coat

So, first of all, outerwear is one way to introduce fur into your wardrobe. A Gucci coat with a fur collar is the subtle approach, while a brightly dyed fur jacket from Prada is the bolder choice. Coats show the most prevalent use of fur on the runways for haute couture, but to keep the price more affordable, ready-to-wear collections show even faux fur used more as accents for the collar and cuffs as with Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs.

Burda 7289 Misses Vest

Vests are another terrific way to use fur and faux fur in your wardrobe. Some of the styles are subtle and sophisticated, while other examples remind us of the funky fur vests worn by Sonny & Cher in the early days of their singing career. Even accessories such as Kenneth Cole scarves and Jimmy Choo handbags are great ways to add this fashion style to your fall/winter look, and we’ve even seen fur used as an accent on shoes this season.

Simplicity 2150 Misses' Jacket

And one of the best ways to tell if a trend is going to be a major hit in the ready-to-wear market is to check out what the sewing pattern companies are offering. All the major brands – McCall’s, Simplicity, Vogue, Butterick, Burda – have fabulous patterns featuring fur such as the ones featured here so that you can create these items for yourself!