It was only a matter of time, say fashion industry experts, that with fur all the rage for women, the trend would soon hit the men's market. Scanning men's magazines last winter, fur as fashion turned up in the most surprising places: as vests on teenie boppers, fox hats on trendies, and the ubiquitous trimmed parkas (once reserved for the college crowd) in suburbia.

"Because fur has been so important for women, it was inevitable that men's wear designers would start working with it," says Steve Gold, a New York City-based fashion analyst. "There is more creativity being put into men's clothes today and more options for them."

At the Milan men's shows earlier this year, Versace, Gucci and Gaultier were proponents of fur for men. Blue Angel, the prestigious Hong Kong furrier, presented a group of men's furs soon after, and Canadian designer Zuki had fun with furs for men in his May premiere. More North American retailers are already beginning to talk about this largely untapped market, which means the tidal wave can't be far behind.

Since designer Joseph Abboud came out with his Fall '97 collection late in the season last year, Saga Furs of Scandinavia has been actively encouraging the development of the men's wear market for fur. It has been bringing international men's wear designers to its Design Center (SIDC) in Denmark, where they find new pelt-working techniques to change the look of the fur itself and make new uses possible. This way, they needn't worry about traditional design restrictions when it comes to using what is usually considered a feminine interpretive material.

That's the challenge, of course, when applying fur to men's wear -- to make it masculine. Veronique Miljkovitch, a Montreal- based designer who added more men's pieces incorporating fur to her Fall ready-to-wear collection, says she is responding to an increasing demand for the product. In December, she showed her collection from last Fall at an arts and crafts show open to the public in Montreal and received several inquiries from male consumers.

"I had so many men coming into my booth, attracted to the rugged styling, the horn toggles. I was amazed by the reaction," says Miljkovitch. "They seemed to be frustrated that they can't usually find that kind of style. There is no reason why men can't enjoy wearing fur too, as long as they don't look like pimps."

Miljkovitch emphasizes rugged sportswear for men, drawing some hooded parkas and simple, classic shapes.

That's the key to making furs masculine, agrees Steve Gold. "It's all in the shape. You can't take the concept of a fully let-out women's coat and move it into the men's closet. You need masculine anorak or duffle coats that reflect the major outerwear trends men are wearing today.