White Mink Jacket, 1961

Famous Parisian furrier Maurice Kotler designed this mink jacket in Emba Jasmine white mink fur in 1961.  Notice anything unusual?  The opening of the jacket is in the back.  You may wonder if the model is just wearing the jacket backwards for the photo, but I doubt the sleeves would fit correctly if she were.  It also looks like she may have her hand in a pocket.  Whichever way you wear it, though, it certainly is luxurious!

Chinchilla Fur Coat - 1965

Betty Yakova owned her own Paris couture salon before going to work for Neustadter Furs in New York.  In 1963, Yakova was given a special Coty Award for her work with fur.  Her work rivaled that of Bergdorf's Emeric Partos and she came up with some very innovative ways of using fur.  In 1967, Yakova designed mink tweed by sewing together tiny squares of charcoal and white mink.  In the same year, she made a coat with horizontal bands of silver fox and black mink.  She also dyed furs in fun colors like green, navy blue and purple.

Here, from 1965, is a 3/4 length Aurora chinchilla fur coat that Yakova designed for Neustadter's.  In another of her innovations, she used a wide belt of gray taffeta at the waist.  The coat was given added fullness below the waist with deep pleats.

Vintage Bergdorf Goodman Mink Coat - 1954

I am a firm believer that if you chose to wear fur, you should always chose vintage. That keeps coats and stoles already in existence out of our landfills and at the same time doesn't support the unneeded slaughter of today's animals for fashion. Since fall and winter are approaching and since fur coats were an accepted part of fashion in the past, I will be showing images of furs over the next few months. In showing images of vintage furs on this blog, I hope to inspire you and show you how beautiful they can be for the modern woman.  If you choose not to wear real fur, let these images inspire you to make your own with today's high quality faux furs.  

The year is 1954 and Leslie Morris is the head designer in Bergdorf Goodman's custom design department, a post she had held starting in 1931.  Morris was considered one of the top designers in the U.S. during the 30s, 40s, and 50s.  In the following year, Bergdorf's would lure fur designer Emeric Partos away from Maximillian Furs by giving him free reign as their custom furrier.  But the coat shown above was designed by Leslie Morris in Eastern Canadian Wild Mink.  It is a clutch style coat with a big collar and pear-shaped sleeves.  Bergdorf's would make it to order for you in their Fur Salon.  If you had to ask the price, you couldn't afford it! 

Vintage Mink Coat, 1954

I am a firm believer that if you chose to wear fur, you should always chose vintage. That keeps coats and stoles already in existence out of our landfills and at the same time doesn't support the unneeded slaughter of today's animals for fashion. Since fall and winter are approaching and since fur coats were an accepted part of fashion in the past, I will be showing images of furs over the next few months. In showing images of vintage furs on this blog, I hope to inspire you and show you how beautiful they can be for the modern woman.  If you choose not to wear real fur, let these images inspire you to make your own with today's high quality faux furs.   

From 1954, this full length Emba Jasmine white mink coat is by Ritter Brothers.  Worn with Kislav white satin gloves and diamond and turquoise jewels by Van Cleef and Arpels.

Parisian Fur Coats - 1945

It's the fall of 1945. Paris had just been liberated the previous August and the city is still struggling to rebuild itself. The couturiers won't emerge with proper fashion shows until the fall of 1947. But many designers did begin to reestablish their businesses. Here, fur coats for the winter of 1945. Hemlines are still on the short side, but shoulders are already huge.

Left: Gray broadtail coat with black fox sleeves by Molyneux.
Right: Black astrakan coat by Revillon.

Otter fur double breasted coat by Jungmann et Cie.

Paquin aubergine wool coat with blue fox fur collar and pockets.

Astrakan coat by Reine d'Angleterre. Check out those platform booties.
The soles are probably wood.

Left: Coat in astrakan fur with beige wool bodice by Gaston.
Right: White broadtail fur jacket with black suede waistband by Gaston.

Mock Furs - 1958

In the late 1950s and into the early 60s, mock furs (or faux furs as we call them today) were promoted as a less expensive alternative to costly real furs. I think you can tell from these photos, however, that the quality of the mock fur fabrics available were far inferior to those we have today. But it is interesting to see the styles that were available and even more interesting to see how expensive these coats were!! These photos are all from 1958.

Above, a mock wolf fur pullover ski top by John Weitz in Borg Dynel shaggy faux fur. Top sold in 1958 for $55 (about $418 in today's dollar.)

Murry Neiman mock seal fur coat in Orlon faux fur. Coat sold in 1958 for $145 (about $1100 in today's dollar.)

Vera Maxwell mock mink evening coat made from Candalon "Wink" fabric. Coat sold in 1958 for $130 (about $988 in today's dollar.)

Custom Craft mock Persian lamb jacket made of wool. Jacket sold in 1958 for $40 (about $304 in today's dollar.)

Handelsman & Raiffe faux sheared beaver coat made from Candalon "Kissing Cousin" mock fur fabric. Coat sold in 1958 for $99 (about $753 in today's dollar.)

Weekend Eye Candy - Traina-Norell, 1954

If you're going to do some holiday shopping today, you might as well go in style. Here, a double-breasted leopard jacket trimmed with red fox fur by Traina-Norell, 1954. Of course, it is no longer legal to buy or sell furs from endangered species whether vintage or not, and we are not advocating such. But, there are wonderful quality faux furs available today and we hope you'll use this photo as inspiration to look your best today and every day.

Saks Holiday Catalog - 2000 The Furs

More from the Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Preview catalog from 2000. While not technically vintage, I do think it is interesting to see what Saks and the designers were showing 10 years ago. Today, a look at some of the furs.

Birger Christensen diamond pattern dyed sheared mink coat with mink collar and cuffs. Sold for $6750 in 2000.

Adrienne Landau black cashmere cape reverses to wool paisley and trimmed in Finnish fox fur. Sold for $2500 in 2000.

SFA exclusive cashmere sweater with mink fur trim. Sold for $428 in 2000.

Birger Christensen mink vest with drawstring waist. Sold for $2500 in 2000.

Saks exclusive olive cashgora coat trimmed with natural Russian golden sable fur. Sold for $8995 in 2000.

Fun with Mink - 1966

I am a firm believer that if you chose to wear fur, you should always chose vintage. That keeps coats and stoles already in existence out of our landfills and at the same time doesn't support the unneeded slaughter of today's animals for fashion. In showing images of vintage furs on this blog, I hope to inspire you and show you how beautiful they can be for the modern woman.

By 1966, fur makers were playing with new color combinations and unique constructions. Enjoy these mink coats from the winter of that year.

Laurence Kaye showed the first chevron striped mink, pieced in gunmetal gray and white.

Emeric Partos mink dress with an optical illusion pattern in white, gray, and black.

Veneziani mink coat in horizontal rings of color ranging from white to dark brown.

Ben Kahn mink ski jacket with chevron stripe insets.

Maximillan double breasted coat, brown mink set off with pale beige in the front.

Vintage Fur Coats - 1958

I am a firm believer that if you chose to wear fur, you should always chose vintage. That keeps coats and stoles already in existence out of our landfills and at the same time doesn't support the unneeded slaughter of today's animals for fashion. In showing images of vintage furs on this blog, I hope to inspire you and show you how beautiful they can be for the modern woman. Enjoy these images from 1958.

Scaasi for Ben Kahn Russian Crown sable jacket with large collar. Lined in red and gold lamé.

Emba pale gray mutation mink coat by Emeric Partos of Bergdorf Goodman.

Alixandre Empress Chinchilla stole.

Two Elsa Schiaparelli licensed Southwest African Persian Lamb jackets with mink collars.

Maximilian black Russian broadtail lamb completely lined in natural dark ranch mink.
Mink also forms the bateau neckline.