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Sales Are Up
Retail fur sales during November to date have increased dramatically over the same month last year. Last week U.S. retailers reported that they have been literally swamped with customers, who were encouraged by cold winter temperatures setting in over the Northeast. Some said that, by the end of the month, they expect sales to be up as much as 40% over last year, especially due to the fact that last winter's temperatures were so unseasonably warm. "It feels like we're back in the fur business again," commented one. Another, who wasn't deterred by Friday's scheduled animal rights protests, said, "The best counter-demonstration is busy showrooms, and we've got 'em."
Finnish Auction
Vantaa, Finland -- Finnish Fur Sales opened its new auction season last week with a sale Nov. 22 of blue fox, blue shadow fox and finnraccoon. Blue fox sold 87%, mainly to Hong Kong/China and Korea with good support from Russia through Greece and Turkey. The price level "was very much in line in USD with the season opening one year ago, when the collection was also of comparable quality," reported the auction company.
Large sizes and better qualities sold under good competition; commercial qualities and flat types met with resistance and were partly withdrawn. As a result, price differences between qualities and sizes were exceptionally large.
A total of 121,125 blue fox sold at US $96 average and $154.75 top, and broke down per size as follows: size 000 (52,378 offered) sold 79% at US $120.50 average; size 00 (55,168 offered) sold 92% at $83.25 average; size 0 (13,579 offered) sold 96% at $68.25 average. The top lot of blue fox was purchased by Thomas Muller for Salisbury GMBH & Co., Frankfurt, Germany.
Blue shadow fox (8,326 offered) sold 78% at $101.75 average and $131 top. Finnraccoon (8,378) sold 83% at $65.75 and $97.50. The small collection of Finnraccoon sold in line with spring levels. Germany and Finland were the main buyers.
'96 Fashion Dates
Fur Fashion Week 1996, the U.S. industry's second annual collective showing of designer collection premieres, will be held in New York beginning May 20. The Fur Information Council of America, organizers of the event, announced last week that the location is to be determined and will be set at a later date.
The inaugural Fur Fashion Week, held this past May, signified the first time that 27 designer fur collections were presented in one central venue as an organized event. The shows resulted in unprecedented fashion media coverage for the fur industry, including a 30-minute fur fashion program that aired for seven days recently on the E! Entertainment cable channel as well as an upcoming program on Style with Elsa Klensch on CNN.
Farm Break-in
Two British Columbia mink farms were sabotaged in recent weeks, sending thousands of domesticated mink into the wild where most, unaccustomed to such hardship, will meet their deaths.
"The break-in and vandalism which resulted in the release of several thousand mink from a British Columbia fur farm yesterday show that animal-rights extremists are now more interested in attracting media publicity for their antics than respecting the welfare of either people or animals," said Canada Mink Breeders Association president Chris Engh on Nov. 15.
"Only people who know nothing about animal husbandry could be so uncaring as to release these farm-raised animals. It shows that the so-called animals rights movement has become a publicity game for some very irresponsible people." said Engh, who also operates a mink farm in British Columbia."
About 6,000 cages were opened Nov. 14 at Fred Rippin's mink farm in Langley, BC. Previously the farm of Reg Dargatz, Chilliwack, BC, suffered a similar loss.
According to a Canadian Press article, no animal activist group claimed responsibility for the attacks. The same article said that police advised people not to try to capture the released animals, because they were considered dangerous. Chicken farmers were put on alert, since mink attack fowl.
The Fur Council of Canada and Canada Mink Breeders Association were quick to condemn the act, reminding the public that Canadian farmers have adopted Codes of Practice for the care, nutrition, and housing of farmed mink which were developed in cooperation with Agriculture Canada and humane societies. The Fur Council of Canada pointed out that 80,000 people work in various sectors of the Canadian fur trade, including fur farmers, trappers, designers, garment-manufacturers, and retail furriers. The industry generated more than $200 million in exports in 1994.
Fur Vault Theft
The Fur Vault's 57th Street storefront location was hit by burglars last week. Wielding a sledgehammer through a rear entrance, they bashed their way in early Sunday morning, Nov. 19, and got away with about 90 coats worth $500,000, according to newspaper reports. The Fur Vault would not comment.
Police and private guards responded to an alarm early Sunday morning but didn't notice a problem through the locked storefront gates. But when the store manager opened for business at 10 a.m. Sunday, the burglary was discovered.
Perrin New Seattle VP
Seattle -- Seattle Fur Exchange last week announced the promotion of John Perrin to the position of vice president of rancher relations. In this capacity, Perrin is responsible for Seattle Fur Exchange field solicitations and grading.
"John has been a great addition to our management team," said Claudia Campbell, president and ceo of Seattle Fur Exchange. "His depth and experience assists us in making good decisions for our ranchers." Perrin joined Seattle Fur Exchange in February, 1995 as Director of Rancher Relations. Since then, he has played a key role in communicating with and providing technical support for members, establishing technical training programs and writing articles for inclusion in Seattle Fur Exchange's monthly newsletter.
Perrin graduated from the University of Iowa and was a teacher and coach for several years. He later became general manager of Perrin's Fur Farm, and most recently was director of sales and marketing at National Fur Foods.
Mink Show
The annual International Mink Show will be held Jan. 12-13 at Olympia Village family resort, Oconomowoc, WI. It will feature an international pelt show, commercial booths, National Fur Foods ranch management seminar, Friday night cocktail party and Saturday night banquet.
Fox Show
The US Fox Shippers Council will hold its annual Live Fox Show Dec. 1-2 at the North American Receiving Station, Cambridge, WI. Invitations were extended to Canadian ranchers as well.