Fur in favour at Madrid fashion week
In contrast to the prevailing mood in other areas of the show (slow winter sales at retail, hibernating fashion buyers), fur exhibitors at
Located in Halls 2 and 4 of the Feria de Madrid, the ‘Iberpiel Peleteria’ section of the show previewed the winter ’04 collections of no less than sixty producers, all of them looking to grab their share of one of what has become one of the fastest-expanding parts of the European fashion marketplace. And as with the wider industry, there was no shortage of different styles on show.
Nevertheless, there were identifiable trends, the main ones being the use of fur as detailing (as opposed to the whole garment being produced from the material), reversible garments that effectively provide two different garments for the price of one, and the continuing emergence of rabbit as a less weighty, less expensive alternative to mink. Lighter shades, especially whites, were also much in evidence, as was the 'caveman’ look where wholly fur items were concerned.
If one message came across loud and clear, it was that fur is no longer the preserve of the middle-aged dowager. Though there were plenty of glitzy, 1980’s full-length mink creations to be found, fur’s new found favour with the younger fashion-conscious consumer (i.e. women in their 30’s) was also there for all to see in the profusion of fur trimmed jackets, coats and boots on display, with mink, fox, astrakhan and kid all being well represented.
In all, the
