And their efforts appear to have paid off. In the United States, Alan Silberstein, a New York-based importer, has reported an increase of 10 percent in volume of sales each year for the past two years. In Spain, volume has increased by 20 percent, and in Italy fur designers have experienced sky-rocketing export quotas. After a peak in the late '80s when 80 million mink pelts were being sold annually, fur sales dropped in the early '90s reflecting a minimalist look and a certain ecology among consumers. Now industry sources say, about 29 million mink pelts are being sold annually.
Women seem to be wearing fur with a clear conscience and an irreverent disregard for status.
The new image of the fur wearer is smart and young, sexy and flamboyant. And although the bulk of sales still comes from conservative matrons and practical Russians, fur now has an edgy, ultra-modern look. While an unusually mild winter in Europe and the financial crisis in Asia, especially South Korea, could have triggered a sharp decline in the world fur market, the market remains buoyant. At Copenhagen's annual fur auction last month, buyers from China, Russia and Eastern Europe picked up the slack. They bought about 60 percent of the mink on sale.