Versatility and creativity were the standards for fur in the collections shown during New York Fashion Week for Fall 2002. New techniques and treatments helped designers prove that, if they can dream it, they can do it in fur. Furs were shown in such diverse collections as Mark Montano's ode to winter in Mexico, Betsey Johnson's fun and flirty styles, Bob Mackie's Broadway glamour and Freddie Rojas's trendy, sexy pieces for Private.

Private unveiled its first 7th on Sixth collection by Los Angeles designer Freddie Rojas. Rojas, former designer of the labels F8 and Rojas, has seen his creations worn by celebs such as Gwen Stephani, Janet Jackson, NSYNC and Britney Spears. The very fact that he used fur in this trendy show is fantastic for the younger set, which would definitely prefer one of Rojas‘s fox patchwork tanks to a mink coat. Of course, he gave traditional fur-lovers some pieces to celebrate in the form of tweed shearlings, a fox rimmed, hooded sweatshirt, a practical black fox fur shoulder shrug and a vintage-cool capelet, in shades of red, gray and cream directional fox patchwork.

Manuel Fernandez ditched his uberflamboyance in favor of a show that offered clothes for a variety of moods, from ethereal winter whites to casual denim blue and black-tie metallic gold. Fur fit in as fluffy white tibetan lamb jackets and trims on dresses and even boots and gloves. Rabbit denims, shown with the leather side of the fur treated to a shiny napa finish as a skirt and a pants suit, were oh so MTV. A vampy lady set showed red-dyed fox fur as accent and decoration on silk tops and leather separates, as sleeves on a wool and leather dress, as a collar on an evening gown and as a top to a long leather skirt. Sponsored by Saga Furs, Fernandez displayed a fully developed creative sense of the possibilities for fur as a fabric.

Mark Montano could be forgiven for using a lot less fur in his Fall 2002 collection than he has done in the past, primarily because his theme, Winter in Mexico, might have made the most ardent fur fan doubt its appropriateness for the climate. Still, dyed fox looked gorgeous as scarves accented by ribbons in a deep teal shade on an embroidered blanket coat and, in a shade of rusty burgundy, on a silk/wool dress.

David Rodriguez, another young designer with four years under his belt designing for customers "as varied as the colors of the rainbow," brought that same variety to his show. He used fur for young, funky accents and for a classic platinum mink and fox shoulder wrap. While not everyone might be ready for fox diagonally swirled sleeves on their ladylike gray fabric jacket with floral skirt, Rodriguez seemed to have a magic touch with the leather pants set. He applied diagonal stripes of mink on black leather pants and chevrons of mink on a black leather motorcycle jacket. Even his nod to the traditional mink coat was brought up to date, shown as a belted trench with vertical alternating stripes of black mink and leather. Another successful Saga-sponsored show.

Christina Perrin was yet another designer who left us wanting more of her fabulous talent in fur. She only showed three fur pieces in her collection, perhaps because of her futuristic, op-art turn with her evening gowns for Fall/Winter 2002. The three she did show were outstanding, but they felt a little out of place. First was a deep purple colored kangaroo cape, made of real kangaroo, I'm told by the designer’s company, in all its rough-hewn, flat and shiny glory. Its shape was a bit poncho/Mexican serape with a '70s feel. Next came another vintage-inspired fur, a winter white and pearl gray belted mink coat with ink leather inserts. The third fur was a stunning "ink" black mink long vest with a corduroy effect that had the monastic look of a sleeveless robe.

The Chaiken collection, a real up-and-comer considering its packed audience and celebrity-studded front row (Kevin Bacon and his wife, actress Kyra Sedgewick, along with Kathryn Erbe, co-star of Law & Order: Criminal Intent). Thankfully for fur fans, designer Jeff Mahshie knows a thing or two about designing furs from his days at the helm of the Giorgio Sant'Angelo fur collection. He showed some 10 ensembles with easy, sporty furs. There were superlong mufflers that wrapped around the neck and fell to the floor on both sides of the body. Chinchilla-look rabbit offered a new twist on the collarless mink sweatshirt. A red shearling peplum jacket was fitted and sexy.

Douglas Hannant's trademark sophisticated designs took on an even more old-money look this season, as he focused on "heritage -- the patina of an old worn chair, faded wallpaper in the home your family has inhabited for generations." While this theme certainly was ideal for fur, Hannant only showed two pieces. This seemed a bit stingy given that he has a license agreement to design an entire fur collection to be shown this May. But the two furs he did present were real gems: a sporty golden sable bomber jacket edged in tan leather; and a black Swakara lamb shrug trimmed with a collar of fox that had been worked into wispy feathers.

For big-time, theatrical glamour, no show surpassed Bob Mackie’s "To Broadway with Love!" tribute. Forget that the opening look -- a golden island fox wrap shown over a bronze beaded gown -- was a hit even though it was the antithesis of what everybody else is doing for fall 2002. The fashion crowd is a fickle one, and Mackie has never been one to "follow the fold" (pun intended). Presented in themed groups according to musicals such as Guys and Dolls, Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music and Oklahoma, most of the clothes were more costumey than practical. Thrown in seemingly incidentally was a group of incredible black crepe, jersey or lace evening suits and dresses that could truly walk off the runway and into a real-life formal soiree. More to the point was a finale of 16 musical costumes that included two dramatic turns with fur: a black, gold and silver beaded chiffon pants with fox-trimmed matching cocoon top from Mame and a black and silver beaded and jeweled short evening gown with black and white fox wrap. Classic Mackie, this show demonstrated the best showmanship of the week and left attendees walking out saying, "That's it, I can't go to another show. I've just seen the best!"