Authentically Chic: Faux Fur’s Fashion Moment

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FAKE IN | This Margot Tenenbaum-esque coat, made of acetate not fox fur, looks a lot like the genuine article. Wolfie Faux Fur Coat, $560, whistles.com Photo: F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

IN AN EPISODE of the popular comedy Web series “High Maintenance,” from last year, a fictitious disgruntled fashion buyer scolds real-life designer Rachel Comey about one of her faux-fur coats. “It looks like a Muppet or something,” the character says, cackling.

Such are the stereotypes of synthetic fur: that it’s a cheap, tacky substitute for a luxury good; that it conjures the bug-eyed beasts of children’s television. But in “High Maintenance,” the joke is on the unperceptive buyer. The coat in question—a curly, deep-piled wrap in an icy pale blue—is inarguably chic.

The scene marks a shift that stylish shoppers have no doubt noticed: These days, faux-fur outerwear is every bit as attractive as the real thing—and, for a growing number of women, even more so.

Ms. Comey recently pointed out that the acrylic and otherwise synthetic textiles themselves have evolved far beyond a Fozzie Bear quality in the past few years. New versions are softer, silkier and far less likely to shed or become matted than the scratchy synthetics of yore; some incorporate real wool fibers. “The advances in technology are super exciting,” she said, adding that her faux furs come mostly from higher-end European mills.

One such manufacturer is Steiff—yes, the German company known for its teddy bears. Pookie and Louisa Burch, the sisters behind New York-based sportswear label Trademark, were particularly taken with a long-haired Steiff material this season, and the snap-front coat they created with it has since become one of the brand’s best-selling styles.

The Fun Also Rises

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Natural-looking faux pieces may best demonstrate how far the category has come, but brightly hued ‘fun fur’ from labels like Shrimps and Charlotte Simone has also evolved in quality and feel, helping secure the high-fashion world’s acceptance of faux. Charlotte Simone Candy Cane Faux Fur Scarf, $280, avenue32.com Photo: F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

“We actually wanted it to look like a real fur coat,” Pookie Burch said. So lifelike was the result that its appearance in a photo shoot the brand staged with lensman William Wegman and his signature Weimaraners drew the ire of some customers. “I got numerous responses saying, ‘I can’t believe you would shoot a real fur coat on a dog.’ But we would never do that,” explained Ms. Burch.

The Burch sisters, like many other emerging designers, refuse to work with fur for ethical reasons. “We’re big animal people,” said Louisa Burch. “And it’s not that hard to avoid using fur. Why not use something else?”

Until recently, Stella McCartney, who famously foregoes animal skins of any variety, took this stance a step further: For most of her career, she eschewed faux fur to avoid promoting the look of animal pelts. Yet, due to customer demand, Ms. McCartney has changed her tune, unveiling a range of coats dubbed “fur free fur” at runway shows earlier this year in New York and Paris. The long-haired styles appeared indistinguishable from the real thing, though the addition of geometric embroidery gave them a multidimensional effect. All her faux coats come with removable exterior “Fur Free Fur” labels; some even come with “Fur Free Fur” buttons to be worn on the lapel or sleeve so that women can advertise their stance on the issue—and possibly alert onlookers who might mistake the coats for the real thing.

“Women have always been asking us for a fur alternative,” Ms. McCartney wrote in an email. “We wanted to show people that it is possible to create beautiful and luxurious fur-free fur that looks great.” And though Ms. McCartney’s versions don’t come cheap—the embroidered Nyla coat seen on her fall runway is $5,695—they still offer a more affordable alternative to, say, a $29,000 J. Mendel broadtail-and-cashmere topper.

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From left: Faux Fur Feathered Jacket, $1,500, DKNY, 800-231-0884; Coat, $698, Trademark, 646-559-4945; and Crimped Fur Free Fur Nyla Outerwear with Embroidery, $5,695, Stella McCartney, 212-255-1556

According to Jane Shepherdson, CEO of the British clothing brand Whistles, her stores’ clients have required little convincing. Among the retailer’s most popular items is a realistic-looking faux brown fox overcoat which she said is “very Margot Tenenbaum,” referring to the opulently, if insolently, robed character in Wes Anderson’s film “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

Meanwhile, in a curious twist, fashion’s most venerable furriers are striving to replicate the playful, vivid novelty styles that faux fur is also associated with. “Fendi has made [real fur] look faux by adding color and pattern,” Ms. Shepherdson said. “And the rest of us have gone for [natural-looking] faux. It’s hard to tell the difference.”

Even fashion-conscious women who do wear real fur, such as New York-based creative consultant Kate Foley, are test-driving the trend, treating the synthetic variety as a fun and fuzzy addition to the wardrobe. Ms. Foley owns four coats from the London-based brand Shrimps, which launched its whimsically color-blocked, proudly faux outerwear and accessories in 2013 and is widely credited with helping to popularize the material. “They’re cool and wacky, and the price point is way more accessible,” Ms. Foley said. “I don’t think there’s anyone who thinks it’s real fur, but it feels light and it’s easy to wear.”

And because faux fur is a fabric and not a pelt, it’s easier for designers to play with. “There is a lot of creative flexibility that comes with using it,” said Shrimps designer Hannah Weiland. Other standout styles from the season demonstrate the material’s range. Moscow-based designer Vika Gazinskaya created a double-breasted coat in color-blocked pastel hues; a patchwork version from Russian label Awake combines natural-looking fabrics in slightly different tones and textures, drawing attention to the faux-ness.

But on to practical concerns: Is faux fur as warm as the real deal? Though Ms. Weiland and Ms. Shepherdson insisted that it is, Ms. Comey said that “some [faux furs] are as warm and some are definitely not.” It comes down to density and the depth of the pile. As a basic and sensible rule, the weightier the coat, the warmer it likely is.

But with forecasters predicting a mild El Niño winter for the Northeast, a fashion statement may be all you require this season.