MILAN — Morten Ussing from Denmark won the international fur competition Remix for his dégradé shearing techniques done by hand, machine and dyes.
The competition was organized by the International Fur Federation at TheOneMilano exhibition here, which closed its three-day run on Feb. 27.
Ólöf Sigridur Johannsdottir from Iceland came in second in the competition, using colorful patterns and intrinsic designs on mink, silver fox, badger and Icelandic lamb. Nicolas Lecourt Mansion from France, who drew patterns with resin on mink, came in third.
The winners were revealed during an Italian Fur Fashion Night, which was supported by the Associazione Italiana Pellicceria (AIP) in collaboration with North American Fur Auctions (NAFA), which presented a selection of North American hides for the finale.
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The night also included a collective show with styles from eight brands selected for their ability to reinterpret fur with a fashionable cut. They were Gianfranco Ferré Furs, Diego M, Fabio Gavazzi, Giorgio Magnani Luxury, Grandifur, Malamatì, Pajaro and Rindi.
TheOneMilano also put a spotlight on new talents from international schools in collaboration with fashion and design schools IED Istituto Europeo di Design and the Accademia del Costume e Moda Roma. From the Accademia, Rossella Coppola took part with her final work capsule collection, supported by fur association Associazione Italiana Pellicceria’s schools project.
Supporting businesses in these uncertain times is a top priority for Associazione Italiana Pellicceria. According to market research carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Italy, Italian exports of fur fell 5.3 percent, at wholesale, last year to $261 million, compared with $275 million in 2015.
“This unfortunately negative result was influenced by the difficult situation in international markets, especially the Russian and the CIS area market, where the devaluation of the ruble and economic sanctions has led to a 42 percent decrease in Italian exports of fur products over the last two years,” said Roberto Scarpella, president of the association. “This data should be interpreted by taking into account the sharp fall in the average price of skins sold at auction. The average price of mink fell by nearly 50 percent between February 2015 and February 2016, considered the time of year when companies make purchases to create their collections.”
The 11.1 percent decrease average fur price is partially reabsorbed in the subsequent production phases at the wholesale and retail level, thanks to the markup for garment making and product research and style, reducing the overall decrease to less than 5 percent, concluded Scarpella.
TheOneMilano, which offers high-end women’s fur, accessories and ready-to-wear, was held at Fieramilanocity and combined international fur and leather exhibition Mifur and ready-to-wear fair Mipap. The exhibition attracted 286 brands and 244 companies, of which 141 were Italian.
The fair has signed an agreement to with ITA-ICE to raise its international profile and delegations of buyers from Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, South Korea, China, Japan, the U.S., Canada, Lebanon, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Croatia and the U.K. visited.
TheOneMilano was divided into five exhibition areas, each inspired by different moods: B.Box focused on contemporary prêt-à-porter, boutique furs and work bags; the Sprint area was dedicated to the world of activewear with padded garments, backpacks and denim; the Crossover section on smarter collections and knitwear; Glam Ave. featured ceremony and luxury, and Elements was dedicated to products and services for manufacturing and business.
The show was held at a time of flux. “This has been one of the most difficult years, in economic and geopolitical terms, that fashion businesses have ever experienced,” said Norberto Albertalli, president of TheOneMilano. “All professionals are saying it, they are pointing to changes in consumer behavior, too, and the difficulties companies find themselves in as they are forced to produce in less time and with lower margins.”