FASHION: Comeback

One industry that almost foundered in the postwar prosperity is the U.S. fur business. In 1946 furriers had nearly $500 million in retail sales. But success attracted thousands of fly-by-nighters who tricked out rabbit, skunk and black Manchurian dog under such misleading names as Arctic seal, Alaska sable and Belgium lynx. As burned buyers learned to fear the fur, the trend to suburban living—with its more casual dress—trimmed the market more. Women also became choosier. Many passed up muskrat, squirrel, and other less expensive furs for good cloth coats—or waited until they could afford mink. By 1953 fur sales were scraping bottom at $250 million.

Last week furriers were in the midst of their January sale season and feeling decidedly hopeful. From $290 million in 1956, retail sales climbed back to $315 million in 1957, and many furriers think the market will keep improving. One big reason for the comeback is that women are not so suspicious as they were, thanks in large part to a 1952 federal law requiring truthful labeling. Said Harvey Hannah, chief of the wool and fur division of the Federal Trade Commission: “The act has done a lot to instill consumer confidence. There was a time when a lot of people would not go near a furrier for fear of being deceived. There used to be 96 different names for rabbit. Now it has to be called rabbit—and not many make or buy it.” To complete the process of shaking the rascals out, Congress last year added $50,000 to the FTC’s enforcement budget to keep tabs on the fur industry.

Trimmings Everywhere. On its own, the industry is making a big effort to promote its products. On the theory that the more fur that is seen, the more will be bought, the industry is encouraging the wide use of fur on things other than coats. There are mink-trimmed golf tees (three for $1), a $2,045 sofa bed with pillows upholstered in mink, mink-covered highball coasters (for hostesses who wish to be “dripping in mink”), and even a telephone slip cover of mink. *

But the major trend is back to fur collars on coats and suits, long out of style. A miss who is so minded can even breakfast in a fur-trimmed housecoat, go out for cocktails in a fur-banded sheath, slip into a fur-topped evening dress, and the last thing at night clean her teeth with a fur-trimmed toothbrush and climb into her fur-trimmed pajamas. Furriers also are busily promoting complete fur costumes. Notable this season: a black Russian broadtail skirt and matching jacket worn by Zsa Zsa Gabor and a broadtail curve-hugging evening dress with a swallowtail train worn by Marlene Dietrich, both designed by Maximilian. Other creations: a $15,000 sable-lined raincoat, a $65,000 sable greatcoat, and a $5,000 Fredrica-designed strapless mink sheath.

Mink Unlimited. Since many furriers think women buy their wares as much as a symbol of status as to keep warm, the search for new symbols continues. Coming up fast but still only 1% of the fur market is high-priced ($27,000 for a full-length cape) chinchilla, whose sales have increased sevenfold in four years. Another novelty with a lower price tag: bleached beaver and otter in such new shades as oyster white and honey beige. But the bulk of the fur trade (60% in dollar volume) is still mink. With fur workers earning an average of $3 an hour, many manufacturers find that it hardly pays to put labor on other furs. Says Fred Nadelman, senior member of Stone & Stone, a top mink manufacturer: “The mink business is not the fur business. While other furs have been neglected, we have had no serious trouble selling our products. The pent-up, potential demand for mink is almost limitless.”

* Manhattan Florist Max Schling sells Ferti-Mink, a fertilizer made from mink manure, for penthouse plants.