Faux Fur, For Real
The fashion industry trended toward faux fur for Fall 2011 as a viable fabric, even in high-end designs. Wholesale sales of fake fur reached $250 million in the United States last year and are expected to increase by 30% over the next two years.
Naeem Khan, Chanel, Prada, and Michael Kors are all embracing faux fur in their designs this fall, rather than relying on real animal fur. Faux fur is appreciated as a fabric on its own, not just for its ability to look like the fur of actual animals. Faux fur is making its way onto handbags and boots, with leopard print a particularly popular print. “The fur trend in the U.S. is toward fake,” says Amy Lechner, an analyst with Pell Research. “The stigma of fake fur is rapidly decreasing.”