Louis Vuitton Skunk poncho, beige zipped cashmere cardigan & high
plum boots
Louis Vuitton Skunk scarf, camel rubberized pullover, brown wool
classic pants and black shoes.
Louis Vuitton Skunk pullover, off-white cashmere sweater, off-whited
rubberized cotton pants and low brown boots
Prada sleeping
bag/throw, sells for $8,392. |
I Smell a Skunk!
- filed 12/19/2000
My love affair with skunk started years ago, when I was an
assistant fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. Eve Orton, the stylish legendary
fashion editor, would swoop into the office every day during the winter months
wearing one fabulous fur after another, but the piece that really stuck in my
mind, was her skunk coat. So naturally, I came to associate this rather
'maligned' ferret-like animal with something chic and fashionable.
Skunk
has always been given a rather bum rap, (because of its 'defense mechanism'
odor) and as a fur, it has not only been un-commercial, but difficult to find.
But for Marc Jacobs' fall/winter 1999/2000 collection for Louis Vuitton in Paris
he brought skunk out of the closet and endorsed
it wholeheartedly, by sending both male and female models down the runway in
skunk scarves, ponchos, coats, and jackets.
In my frequent flea market rounds, I have luckily come across quite a few
skunk items. Last season, I bought a zip front vest, and just recently, one
dealer, Pat Haber, had a terrific coat, as well as a large bolt of the skin
-which I purchased and plan to turn into a bag someday.
In Milan, for
fall/winter 2000, the house of Fendi, which has traditionally made use of
unorthodox pelts, endorsed skunk with its witty use as oversized duffles, totes,
and handbags, trimmed with snakeskin or leather. In fact, just
recently, I spotted the hip and plugged-in Candy Pratts Price strolling on 57th
street carrying one of their versions. A
selection of the bags are currently available at the
Fendi store on 5th avenue and 56th street. And the house of Trussardi made use of
graphic skunk for a coat and oversized carry-all.
Prada also got into the act: on display in their window at 70th
street and Madison Avenue, they have an enormous skunk 'throw' rolled up into a
duffel bag, complete with leather handles for practical carrying.
I guess you can say that the 'whiff' of skunk will be in the air on the fashionable streets of New York as we head into the cold winter months ahead. And with bold, graphic furs being such an important trend this season, I predict we will see more of this pelt during the next round of shows in February and March.
"The Shining" Report
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