Lilly e Violetta

Lilly e Violetta fox jacket via lillyevioletta.com

Lilly e Violetta was born in 2013 in Italy and they aim to keep the craftsmanship and traditional values normally added to the fur industry. The twist and uniqueness come from from their British influence "fusing the best of Italian glamour with modern British style". The truth is that the designs by Lilly e Violetta are full of light and romance but with a sexy touch. Like the girl who hides her best traits under the beauty and grace. 

I first came across Lilly e Violetta in Olivia Palermo's blog and since then I have wanted to know more. I have seen its designs in some blogs and department stores but I want to know more! The quality is obvious and the interest in offering a new product and keep innovating in such an old industry is key in their collections. They work with lynx, mink, sable, chinchilla, fox... I really hope they do well, I am already a fan! 

Do you know more about Lilly e Violetta? Please email me and tell me all about it! ilovemyfur@gmail.com

The Piece 3: Moncler E - Amara Fur

Moncler Amara Fur via Moncler.com

Every winter Moncler launches a capsule collection featuring a designer or theme that reinvents the Moncler down jacket. When I read that Moncler was doing a collaboration with Erdem I certainly did not expect this! It is so not Erdem that I am wondering if it actually happened. 

The inspiration seems to come from the Tzars and Russia, and the designs certainly look like they are classics with a twist of modernity. There is only one piece featuring the classic Erdem floral patterns and it is a bomber jacket that it is so romantic and elegant that can be the ideal touch to a more understated look. The rest of the pieces are the opposite to the flowers that Erdem normally features. There is a silver floral pattern that blends perfectly with the grey, black and white of the rest of the collection. The brocades give the fabric a 3D effect that looks modern and elegant and the designs are very feminine with big lapels and layers for a more refreshed look. There is not much fur, just as lapel or trims but it is used smartly. 

The piece I want to show to you today caught my eye right away. The brocade on the nylon (or what I suppose to be nylon) is absolutely fabulous and the fur trimming the end its the perfect touch for this cape. The fur looks like fox, which is the perfect choice for the white of the cape and the grey shades make it so elegant! For a more detailed view of the brocade take a look at the picture I post below and if you want to see the full collection click here!

I hope you love it too... if you do, you better run to your nearest Moncler as I am sure this is going to be a sold out.

Details of the fabric and fur

Raccoon

Raccoon trim on the Moncler Classic jacket via Moncler.com

Raccoon is furry and soft, ideal for trims and big light jackets that are meant to be worn more for fun than to protect you from the cold winter.

Brands like Moncler tend to use the raccoon mostly to trim their hoods and add some details, although there is a reversible nylon and fur vest that I absolutely love because it is fun and chic on one side while the other has all the features of the down and nylon to keep you warm! 

Moncler Raccoon and Nylon vest via Farfetch

Moncler Raccoon and Nylon vest via Farfetch

But my favourite way of wearing raccoon is as a furry jacket! The movement is so cool and chic, it adds so much style to any look and with skinny jeans and boots, like the girl in the picture, is just the perfect everyday outfit for those fur wearers with a more rock and roll style. The one in the picture is by Yves Salomon and I found it in Luisa Via Roma, one of the most respected shopping destinations in the World. 

In these jackets the fur is normally knitted to the fabric and it makes a really light piece which will not bother you at all during the day and it is ideal for Autumn and those who live in places with warmer winters.

Fox and Raccoon jacket by Yves Salomon via LUISAVIAROMA.COM

Moncler

Moncler Gamme Rouge Campaign

Moncler is undoubtedly one of the brands to follow these days. Many of you must be wondering why I am reviewing a brand that is mainly focused on nylon in this website, but the fur from Moncler Gamme Rouge, the higher line design by Giambattista Valli, is sometimes to die for. 

The last collection does not have much fur, but look at the one in the pictures. The mix of furs was amazing, I remember really funky pieces a few seasons ago and the quality and functionality was really good. I find Moncler perfect for the young generations of fur wearers and those looking for some statement pieces. 

Before Remo Ruffini took over Moncler, it was just a sports brand with high quality nylon and down jackets. Now it is a rounded brand with so much offer that you can pretty much dress head to toe in Moncler and be ready for the day while you are warm and stylish! 

It is true that sometimes I have found some low quality furs in some designs, but that will be mostly in its main collection while the Gamme Rouge items are cherished and produced up to the highest standards in the market. I am sure that Giambattista Valli has something to do with that, being a couture designer he knows how important is quality for the customer! 

Rabbit

Yves Salomon METEO Collection

Rabbit... I know what you are thinking: cheap! But do not fool yourself! Rabbit can be your best friend if you want a more seasonable garment and do not want to spend so much! Look at the coat in the picture for instance, it is by Yves Salomon (from its METEO collection) and looks gorgeous! Rabbit, being cheaper, allows brands to experiment and go a bit crazier creating unique and fun pieces like this one.

I have seen rabbit in every color and pattern: white, pink, camouflage digital print, animal print... I find them so much fun and easy to combine with everyday looks. Also they make great accessories as they are cheap and you do not expect to wear them forever.

The thing you must take into account with rabbit is that it is very delicate and it might lose hair easily. Rabbit garments are not as durable as mink or sable and you will have at some point to stop wearing them... even if you love them! They just stop looking right. 

The Piece 2

Fendi Fall 2015 Couture via Style.com

I absolutely adore this piece of the first couture show in Fendi's History. I do not know if they are easily accessible or where to get them, I assume is in Rome flagship store and by appointment, but I would love so much to have a close look to this one (hey Karl :), what about an invitation to the next couture show?...) 

It looks to me like sheepskin, mink and feathers, but I cannot say exactly. The blend of colours is exceptional and get such a sweet look out of these materials is just a piece of art! It might not be something to wear everyday but it is something to keep as a collectable. 

The whole collection is so inspirational, with pieces for every fur lover. Well done Fendi and  Karl. 

You can see the full couture collection in Style.com.

Chinchilla

Oscar de la Renta via Harrods

Chinchilla is another member of Fur Royalty. 

The first thing you will notice and will get you hooked with this fur is its softness. Chinchilla is by far the softer fur and the feeling when you touch a good piece of chinchilla is close to unreal. It really can take you beyond your feelings capacity, if that makes sense. 

Chinchilla fur is extremely elegant and sophisticated and not everybody can wear it in its original colour as its grey shades can easily wash your face off! But if you love its softness and cannot live without it you always have the dyed option, a bit cheaper but can really bring some colour to your evening look. 

Chinchilla is a very delicate material, not good for everyday use. I recommend you to leave your chinchilla for a special ocasion and keep it stored properly, never squashed in your wardrobe! Due to its softness and quality, Chinchilla is an expensive material, but it will totally be worth it if you go for it!

The chinchilla in the picture is a great example of how a classic chinchilla piece looks like. Normally they are great accessories or short designs as the chinchilla is not a big animal and they are so delicate. The one above is from Oscar de la Renta and I found it in the Harrods website.

The Piece 1

I was walking around my favourite department store when I bump into this absolutely amazing piece of art. Yves Salomon again, of course. Why do I love everything they do?

I love fur patchwork and the colours on this cape are beautifully sewn together! The cape is made of mink, and the length is just the right one to be able to mix it with short or long skirts or pants, or just to dress up that boho Valentino dress from Summer and carry on wearing it during Fall... it is so easy to find an excuse to buy something when you want it so badly, isn't it? 

Sable

Dennis Basso Fall 2012

Sable is Fur Royalty. People who know about fur look for sable and are able to identify the different types and qualities.  

Sable is super soft when you touch it in any direction and normally there are two well differenced shades, sort of a caramel brown and a darker chocolate brown.  

The best sable comes from Russia and it is one of its trademark furs. My Russian friends tell me that sable is not only beautiful, but incredibly practical when it comes to warmth.  Sable fur is lighter than mink for instance, but can keep you warmer in the cold Russian winter. 

My favourite sables jackets are from Dennis Basso and, of course, Yves Salomon. I love the jackets with python skin seams or leather inserts. And I find that the sable vests are a must have. I love them with a silk white shirt underneath and jeans or leather pants. 

Of course, such an amazing fur comes with a matching amazing price but it is so worth it that I have never regretted any of my acquisitions.  

Dennis Basso

Dennis Basso is considered New York's "King of Fur" and he certainly is.

The story behind Dennis Basso is one of love. Love of craftsmanship, quality, fashion and dedication. What he started in 1983 as an exclusive fur business, has developed into a big multinational that offers a very wide range of women's fashion, from RTW to bridal, and of course fur. Everything is created and produced in New York, a fact that has become one of the trademarks of the brand. 

The quality of Dennis Basso's sable fur is among the best in the market, and his designs are so updated and contemporary that every woman should have a piece of them.

Dennis Basso is usually present in red carpet events as many celebrities love his designs, which has traduced in a bigger media attention to the movements of the brand. Among the celebrities wearing his designs are Naomi Campbell, Olivia Palermo or Catherine Zeta Jones. 

Mink

Fendi AW13

Mink is provably the best known fur. Sometimes linked to the old fashion way of wearing fur, but there could not be a bigger misinterpretation! Mink is so versatile, so easy to work with, that you can adapt the fabric to any style! Look at the picture above, that Fendi top and skirt from AW13 is trendy, fun and made of mink! Also, thanks to the big mink farms around the world, Mink is not as expensive as other type of fur, so designers and fashion houses are happier to use it in many different ways.

Of course, a classic mink coat is essential in any wardrobe. The mink coats are timeless, ageless, elegant and sophisticated, they can dress you for that special evening and keep you warm in those Moscow cold winter nights. Mink with its original colour and properties are more valuable, more expensive, and the females tends to be considered more luxurious as the hair is softer. But I find this a bit silly as it depends of what you are looking for and want that you could go for a type of mink or other.

Dyed mink is cheaper... but much more fun! You can find absolutely crazy pieces of mink, perfect for that young and irreverent crowd that cannot wait to wear fur in their teens or twenties! Maybe you have that long dress in a coral colour and you cannot wait for a warm night to wear it, get a bright pink mink short jacket and you will leave everybody with their mouth open!

Mink is heavier than other furs like sable or lynx but not to the point if being uncomfortable. In fact, its consistency gives mink great movement. It is very important to get the right size when buying mink as a good chosen mink coat must wrap you and cannot look tight anywhere, otherwise you will lose all the beauty of its natural hang! 

Fendi

Fendi is probably the best known and more celebrated furrier in fashion. The House of Fendi was born in 1925 in Rome, but thanks to the charismatic figure of its Creative Director, Karl Lagerfeld, which has been in the head of the House since 1965,  Fendi has enjoyed its greatest success.

Sometimes elegant and sophisticated, others funky and irreverent, the personality of Karl is printed in each Fendi collection. But we can truly say that the brand has reached its glory mostly due to its accessories, although it is the fur that gives the house the highest attention and respect. Fendi is part of LVMH, the biggest fashion conglomerate in the world, and at the end of day they need to be profitable. But let's not dwell in the reality of the market and let's dream furry dreams! Fendi showcases high class fur pieces with a great quality... and price!

I found this video of Fendi History on its website and I fell in love. Have a look if you want to know more:

Lynx

Yves Salomon AW14

I could have called this blog I ♥ My Lynx because I adore the feeling of my lynx. 

I find lynx the most complicated, exciting, attractive, flattering and enchanting type of fur. Not only for its astronomical prices but for its rareness. And that is what makes it so special. If you wear lynx you mean business, you are a truly fur lover! 

Lynx is very contemporary and light type of fur, but is able to keep you warm without giving up the edginess and coolness. Young girls who know what they want, that are happy to shout out her mind and love an statement piece go for lynx over other type of fur. Lynx makes heads turn around when pass by!

Inside lynx, the most appreciated one is the fully white and black one as you can only get it from a certain part of the animal, while the fur with shades of brown is less exclusive... but do not be fooled by that, you will still have to pay around £100,000 to get a good piece. Do you want to feel the Queen of street style? Get a lynx piece now! 

Yves Salomon

 

Yves Salomon

Let me set the record straight. Nobody, I repeat, nobody creates a fur piece like Yves Salomon. They are the masters, they are the ones to look at and the ones to follow. Almost 100 years in the business focusing only on fur have given them the right to claim that they are the furriers by excellence. And that is why I wanted to start this blog with them.

Many superbrands do fur, but they are not truly specialise only on that. Even Fendi (I know you all are thinking about them right now) have built its success on the accessories world, which is fair but it kind of divert the attention for what their core product was.

The power of the name Salomon is historical. And their name is known and respected not only by fur lovers all around the globe, but furriers and fur dealers. Whenever they are in a fur auction everybody know what they are here to look for: the best quality, the most rare pieces and the unexpected. That is why they have been setting trends even before they had their own brand and can offer the best quality without the stupid price point of some superbrands.

In 1910, Gregory Salomon is exiled from Russia to Siberia and in 1920 decided to emigrate to Paris, France, where he keeps trading with fur as it has done for many years. Time passes and the Salomon established themselves as the most respected fur traders from the region. During the 80's, and with the company in the hands of Yves Salomon (3rd generation), he decided to create the brand that carries his name. Yves Salomon collaborates with big names like Dior, Prada, Thierry Mugler, Alaïa, and it is present in the first Gaultier Couture show.

Among others, Yves Salomon works with the best qualities of lynx, sable, chinchilla and mink, producing timeless and iconic pieces. In the last years they have been more adventurous mixing the fur and investing in technology in order to get great pieces of fur mixed with cashmere or piton. They offer a wide range of leather pieces too, and created two diffusion collections that are more affordable and attractive for a younger crowd: Army and Meteo.

Yves Salomon is now in the hands of the fourth generation in the family. Thomas Salomon is taking care of the brand his father created and his work have expanded a name that is present in the main fashion centres of the globe. 

Do you want to know more? Visit Yves Salomon's website and enjoy History and Fashion all together.