Paris, France -- The Paris shows endorsed plenty of fur for any personal style this fall, but some designers were promoting a less ostentatious form of this luxe material. The oft-sampled looks of the 40s, 70s and 80s made fur impossible to avoid, so it was a major trend in Paris. With the advances in fur-working technology, however, and with designers gaining experience working in this medium, fur is increasingly integrated into a fashion statement more than just tacked on to signify big bucks.

Sometimes fur slipped in so easily that it could have been mistaken for something else, as in the case of Sonia RykielŐs knit fur sweaters and scarves and with Jeremy ScottŐs sheared and printed (with Paris logos) fur. Jean-Paul Gaultier, who is becoming a true master of fur, presented black napa-backed fur and bleached fur, definitely less full frontal fur than he has been known for in the past. But then, Gaultier was also praised for his more controlled, return to classics this season.

The most ethereal take on fur of any collection this fall certainly came from the avant-garde Yohji Yamamoto. He put a romantic spin on the Great White North, using mostly long-haired furs in oversized hats and fluffy, blanket-like fur outerwear such as fur-lined long wool or leather coats.

As previously reported here, the Paris Fall 2000 shows marked the return of Claude Montana to fur. He managed to take knit fur and give it structure and brilliant color.