The fur guide

Seven materials, seven behaviours. Six real furs and one faux fur, flagged as such. For each one: how it feels in the hand, how it ages, what occasions it is worn for. Nothing more.

Mink

• Origin — Farmed. The pelt is small and the yield low: it takes a lot of them for one coat.
• Feel — Short, smooth guard hair, very tight underfur beneath. The hand slides without catching, as on a heavy silk.
• How it lasts — The most durable of our furs. Twenty to thirty years of wear is common if the leather is kept fed.
• What for — Evenings, receptions, travel. Short hair takes up no room: the coat can be worn long without weighing on the shoulders.
• For whom — For those who buy one piece, wear it for years, then pass it on.

Fox

• Origin — Farmed. Large pelt, good yield: two to four pelts are enough for a short jacket.
• Feel — Long, supple guard hair that lies down and springs back when you run a hand through it. Dense, warm underfur beneath.
• How it lasts — Durable, provided it is brushed. The guard hair breaks if it stays crushed under a shoulder strap or against a chair back.
• What for — Dry nights, in the desert as in the mountains, and entrances you do not want to miss. It is the material you see from a distance.
• For whom — For those who want the piece to be noticed, and who own that without hedging.

Rex rabbit

• Origin — Farmed. The Rex is a short-haired breed with no protruding guard hair, selected for the density and evenness of its underfur.
• Feel — A velvet. Short, even, warm hair. It is the fur you recognise with your eyes shut, without a second's hesitation.
• How it lasts — Less hard-wearing than mink. The hair marks at friction points: shoulders, elbows, where you sit, under the arms.
• What for — The lightest: it sits over a long outfit without flattening its drape, and it is worn often.
• For whom — For a first fur, or for a piece you want to be able to put on without thinking about it.

Lamb

• Origin — Farmed. Curled pelt, never the same pattern from one jacket to the next.
• Feel — Short, springy, a little dry in the hand. The curl pushes back clearly against pressure, then returns on its own.
• How it lasts — Very good. The curl protects the leather and hides wear. Regular brushing is enough to keep the relief.
• What for — Full pieces and capes: the curl holds the volume instead of letting it drop.
• For whom — For those after a structured line rather than a material that falls.

Raccoon

• Feel — Long guard hair, slightly rough on the surface, warm cottony underfur beneath. Two materials layered in a single pelt.
• How it lasts — Tough. The guard hair takes damp and dries flat, at room temperature, without harming the leather.
• What for — Travel. It is the material that stands up best to the road and comes back into shape with a simple brushing.
• For whom — For those after relief and depth of colour rather than an even surface.

Chinchilla-dyed rabbit

• Origin — Farmed rabbit, dyed and worked to take on the chinchilla pattern: slate grey back, pale belly, a clean line.
• Feel — That of rabbit: soft, supple, light. It is not chinchilla, and we never write it any other way on our product pages.
• How it lasts — Like rabbit. The colour can lighten in direct light: store the piece away from daylight.
• What for — A second piece, and a piece to give: the pattern carries, the price stays contained.
• For whom — For those who like the chinchilla pattern without paying the price for it.

Faux fur

• Origin — Woven then brushed polyester. No animal fur, neither in the hair nor in the lining. Two pieces in the catalogue are made of it: the Naya coats, in natural and in dark brown.
• Feel — The hair takes the drape of mink: short, even, a little drier in the hand. It lies down and springs back. The difference is felt at the root, where the underfur is missing.
• How it lasts — The shortest of our materials. The hair goes shiny at friction points and cannot be repaired. A few seasons of regular wear, not the life of a coat.
• What for — Daytime, the city, short trips. Two kilos on the shoulders and washing per the label: this is the piece you take with you without taking care.
• For whom — For those who do not want animal fur, and for those who want a second piece, lighter to wear and to look after.

Choosing at a distance

You cannot touch the material before ordering. Write to us: we will describe the hand, the weight and the length of the model you are interested in, and reply with its exact measurements. fursultvnv@gmail.com

Once the piece is with you: Care & passing on. On the making: the craft.