Designer boutiques line up like dominos between Donna Karan's new flagship on 60th Street and Searle and bebe up to 80th Street. Those carrying fur in their windows include BCBG, Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, Iceberg, Noriko Maeda, Missoni, Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren, Ungaro and Yves Saint Laurent.

Those carrying fur (including shearling) in their stores include Barneys New York, BCBC, Cerruti, Les Copains, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferre, Genny, Givenchy, Iceberg, Donna Karan, Kenzo, Max Mara, Noriko Meada, Missoni, Issey Miyake, Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren, Prada, Searle, Ungaro, Valentino, Versace and YSL.

But buyer beware. When you buy from these designer boutiques, you're paying top dollar. The designer name is more important than the fact that an item is made of fur -- though fur allows them to crank up the price even more. You're paying for the name and, to some extent, the style. If you just want the fur, you could find the look elsewhere at a less staggering price. Look to an upcoming story on furs.com for more on that subject.

Barneys Does Fur

Barneys New York might not have a fur department, but that's all the better to reach out to the twenty-somethings who coo over a little $2,000 mink-paneled sweater by Prada but would never imagine walking into a fur salon.

Barneys New York is the perfect place to find fur fashion from many different designers under one roof, whether it's shearling by Armani or what looks like real spotted cat by Dolce & Gabbana. Multiple designer boutiques carry representations of each collection. This year, that means many of the designer areas feature one or more fur coats blended in with the fabric coats, sweaters, dresses and trousers. Fur garments are merchandised as part of the designer's overall vision, not purely for the fact that they're made of fur.

This is the place to find Donna Karan's black maxi coat made of fluffy, long-haired shearling.

Roberto Cavali -- of the multitude of spotted cat coat ads and editorial in September magazines -- building a boutique on 63rd Street.

BCBG has a double presence, with one boutique between 64th and 65th and one on the corner of 66th, where there is fur in the window. Sparkling red, velvety shearling is the star here, in the form of long coats for $1,095, short jackets for $555 and matching straight skirts. The same set comes in black, and there's also a black shearling straight stole.

Emanuel Ungaro takes shearling to new heights this season, printing a signature red long-haired coat with a dazzling bohemian floral print. It was probably out on a photo shoot at the time of this trip, because a more subdued shearling jacket was in the window.

Dolce & Gabbana near 69th is a must-visit for any fur lover who likes his or her fashion executed in the trendiest way. The window greets you with colorful fur hems on dresses, an indication of the upbeat furs inside. This is the only one of all the Madison Avenue boutiques (except Fendi) carrying anything approaching a traditional fur jacket or coat. An abbreviated rust-colored mink jacket carries a price tag of a whopping $10,113, and a spot-printed rabbit skirt goes for over a thousand dollars. You can also black calfskin coats, mink and fox trims on suits and lots of fur bags, including one made of outrageously fun orange and fuchsia tibetan lamb.

Genny, which has its own fur collection, has got a store in progress just north of 69th Street.

Prada is another fur & fashion fan's dream, working a variety of fur types into accessories like hats, bags, trimmed shoes, scarves, plus a little persian lamb halter top, mink skirts, mink paneled sweaters or sweaters with mink attached to look like chunky weave, in muted tones of green, gold, cream and raspberry.

At Searle, which used to be known as primarily a shearling/outerwear store until new designer was brought in recently to create intriguing and modern collections, was still holding summer clearance sales. Fur wasn't front and center, but Fall wasn't either.

To say it was surprising to find what looked like a coyote fur cap in the window at Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren would be an understatement. Lauren works in shearling, but more luxurious furs usually aren't his style.

Givenchy on 75th has a fur-trimmed suit in the window and carries the unique fur-decorated suits by Alexander McQueen. Open any fashion magazine and see strips of fur attached in geometric shapes to the front of funnel-necked tunics, forming geometric designs.

Missoni on 78th has its fabulous knit fur coat in the window. Inside, it would be nice to find more on the knit fur theme, but the fur-lover has to settle for what looks like frosted-shearling piped signature sweater coats.

Noriko Maeda, a little shop between 76th and 77th by the Carlyle, carries a fur-trimmed coat in the window -- evident despite building construction -- and lots of sophisticated, fur- trimmed suits inside in pale, sophisticated colors.

Les Copains, which advertises fur trims, also carries them in the window between 67th and 68th street. Next door, Kenzo has a very exotic fur-trimmed vest in the window.