Many luxury retailers would prefer to avoid the headaches that come with selling coats and other apparel made of real fur.
That general sense of reluctance did not stop designers from houses including Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Armani, Junya Watanabe and John Galliano from having models hit the catwalks at recent European shows wearing a variety of fashions that included mink, fox and sable.
Many luxury department stores, according to Women's Wear Daily, do not see the point of getting entangled with fur fashions at this point due to the controversial nature of the product, the impractical nature of garments and the associated cost.
Specialty boutiques are less concerned about the potential for conflict and some say the product is exactly what consumers want at this point in time.
Scott Malouf, owner of Malouf's in Lubbock, Tex., said consumers under the age of 40 want furs.
"It's not her mother or grandmother's fur, but it's very fun and of-the-moment," he told WWD. "The younger generation does not have the politically correct brainwashing that the Baby Boomers underwent in the early Nineties. They look at it with a fresh attitude. They are more driven by who's wearing it and what the label is."
Nancy Schneider, owner of Nancy & Co., disagrees. "I'm surprised at so much fur in the market. I stopped selling fur five years ago," she told WWD. "I don't believe in it, and some of my best customers won't wear fur and asked for alternatives. I replaced it with down and knitwear, which works well, given climate change."
Discussion Questions: Is the time right for fur to make a comeback in U.S. luxury stores?