The Tamesis
Is fur a faux pas? If the streets of New York are any indication, that’s not the case at all.
New York Fashion Week (NYFW) attendees, who faced sub-zero temperatures and biting winds for much of the day, stepped out in fur coats, hats and shawls. And it’s not just the fashion world: New Yorkers, young and old, are wearing fur. To some, it’s retro; Others are fake. Some were recent purchases, possibly from one of New York’s “fur traders,” vendors of authentic mink and fox products found in neighborhoods like the Meatpacking District or the Lower East Side. More than one person has admitted to telling others that their furs are vintage when in fact they are not. A guest outside the Calvin Klein show wore a raccoon hat, tail and all. When asked where he got it from, he frowned: “TikTok Shop. I actually don’t know what the hell it’s made of.”
“The animal is dead. I have no shame,” one person said, rolling her eyes at a fashion week party. “It’s so cold,” one editor said of her love of fur. “There are a lot of young girls buying now,” said Nick Pologeorgis, co-chairman of the American Fur Council and owner of New York fur maker Pologeorgis, which sells its own products and also licenses brands. How does he explain the increase in demand, even though the industry has cracked down on fur? “People want it,” he said.
The era of fur was at odds with the direction the industry was taking. Last fall, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced that starting from the spring and summer 2027 season, the use of fur (excluding shearling) will be banned in New York Fashion Week shows. Global fur production is declining, with the number of foxes, minks and raccoon dogs killed on fur farms falling by 85% from 140 million in 2014 to about 20 million in 2024, according to the Humane World Organization. animal. Brands and retailers such as Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Bloomingdale’s, Selfridges, Saks and more have pledged to stop using or selling real animal fur in their product lines.
The bans are backed by declining social acceptance of fur and a pressure campaign from animal rights groups. But in the past few years, the look has seen a resurgence in popularity. The gangster wife aesthetic kicked off in 2024; since then, it’s quickly grown in popularity, become less and less associated with micro-trends, and is now part of everyday winter wardrobes, especially in New York (this winter has been particularly cold, which means more people are getting into fur than in other fashionable cities).
The fur aesthetic also appeared in more collections. Brands such as Fforme, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Lii, Anna Sui, Altuzarra, Khaite and more showed furry pieces on the runway, including oversized and long coats, scarves, hats and trims. A$AP Rocky showed off his brand AWGE for the first time in New York, taking a victory lap while wearing a large fur boa.
