Both trends were found at the Fur & Fashion Frankfurt show here in March, when some 100 German fur makers (of some 170 total furriers exhibiting) presented their fall collections during one of the world's largest annual fur trade shows.

"Fashion has taken the role of counterbalance to our rational working world that turns more and more abstract," said Marianne Erletz, executive director of the fair. "This way, the newly defined romanticism plays the main part of the collections. Folkloric, rustic and ethnic elements are clearly discernible. Wishes and the search for the authentic, earthy, and reliable are thus answered by the fashion designers." In this direction, the German trade journal TextilMitteilungen recently reported, "The fashionable trends such as 'pioneer' and 'trapper' virtually seem to have been made for fur to become the focus of attention once again."

Sporty, practical and casual styles also continue to be important in fur and leather, most often in short silhouettes or longer ones with narrow cuts. Popular in Frankfurt were a range from the slender blazer, the cabana, the slip-on and the trench to the casual wrap coat.

Fur accessories such as classic Russian fur hats, knitted furs, rabbit or mink scarves and stoles reflect strong statements found in the ready-to-wear designer shows. Just as big-name designers are embracing long-haired, fluffy, major furs, however, fur makers have seen a demand for velvety, soft, flat and light types of furs such as sheared or plucked mink, weasel, kolinsky, muskrat and rabbit, which were shown in Frankfurt reflecting the reality chic trend. Still, longhaired furs like fox and finnraccoon gained in popularity. Lamb looks in reversible karakul, Swakara or shearling were also important. Squirrel, sable and chinchilla did not lose significance, and hamster still proved interesting for inner linings.

Once again Frankfurt was the place to find new, modern pelt dressing and dyeing techniques to inspire future seasons' designs. Specialists showed different ways to treat the surface of the fur and its leather side by shearing, dyeing, printing, embossing, making furs reversible to their own leather, and more. Also each year it seems the pelts get lighter and lighter, as dressers meet the demand for lighter weight fur garments. Colors remained natural shades of brown and black, plus gray, rich spice colors, reds and neutrals.