As a young designer myself, I love experimenting and finding new ways of working with fur. I believe that innovative techniques, placements and combinations make fur more appealing and fashion forward. This will help promote the future of fur and start making the goal of accessibility for the younger, more eccentric, generation a reality.
From attending the MIFUR exhibition in Milan, I came across many new interesting techniques, garments as well as workshops that were promoting a more colourful, creative way of using fur. I visited the Saga Furs stand in which I came across a number of samples on display that caught my eye, which included plaiting, knitting and crocheting fur. I found these techniques, not usually associated with fur, to be interesting and creative. It made the fabric more lightweight and fluid, which enabled it to have a more gentle and subtle aesthetic. This would be able to be used in areas of garments, as a trim, such as a lightweight hood or as accessory pieces.
There were many samples that used the technique of placement, which consisted of different colours of fur sewn into the base fabric, which gave the impression of a print. This technique can be used to create any pattern, with whatever colour and scale that inspires you! The possibilities are endless - you can create anything from floral patterns in pastel coloured fox, to leopard print patterns in neon coloured rabbit. I found the combining of fabric and fur the most interesting, the contrast between the fluid, energetic fur to the hardness and rigidness of the woven fabrics created a playful and eye-catching piece. One specific sample combined panelling of long haired white fur with strips of hi-visibility silver fabric, giving it a sporty and new age feel.
I think these new avante garde samples are the way forward to building a new, younger audience for the use of fur. Teaching the younger generation the endless possibilities this diverse and unique fabric has and the vast imaginative ways it can be used is a brilliant way of enticing young designers to work with fur.
When I was exploring the stands exhibiting at MIFUR, I came across one that, as a fashion designer, got me very excited. It was a company called Graffiti, which provides fur workshops for young aspiring designers, pattern cutters and furriers. The Future Fur Studio provided by Centria University of Applied Sciences in Finland holds workshops including Fur Design and Pattern Making, Masterclasses and Discovering Fur. All of these classes are aimed at creatives wanting to learn and practice new techniques working with fur and discovering the potential it has as a fabric.
From attending MIFUR, I found an exciting future potential in the world of fur, which was very eye opening as a designer. The part I enjoy the most about designing is the development and journey of experimenting with different fabrics and creating new samples. It was inspiring to see many companies and educational facilities supporting young designers like myself to become the future and not being afraid to try something different and step outside the box.
