Ciao! Abbiamo Il Tempo Della Pelliccia In Italia!

[Joe]

Translation: "We have fur weather in Italy!"

 

The Romans hate the cold. They also, for the most part, love to bundle up when the temperature drops below 60 fahrenheit (sorry, folks, I'm not fully metric yet...give me another four months). I was beginning to think that the Southern California shorts-and-sandals October we had in Rome was going to last until the holidays, until just a couple of days ago. I walked outside in my sandals, thinking to myself, "what a cool breeze...", and found myself surrounded by people in down parkas with fur-trimmed hoods, not to mention an occasional mink jacket. Fur trim has appeared Men's coats, too; I've seen young, macho Italian kids strutting around wearing ski jackets with hoods and collars completely lined in rabbit fur. Such a large temperature drop is cause for anyone to be relatively freezing, but this was amusing. That sable scarf so deliciously wrapped around quella bella ragazza back in August was the telltale sign. I snapped a few shots of the 'official' first fur I spotted as I crossed Piazza Navona on the way to work...and posted couple on Tinypic. Bravo, those of you who suggested this site in the Den! Last night, a friend and I went shopping in Rome's 'chinatown' area, if you could call it that (it's more like 'chinablock'.) Thanks to Earendil's recommendation from his Roman holiday, we stopped by a big fur & leather emporium called "Pellicceria Jenny Fur" on the corner of Via Statuto and Via Leopardi, fronting Piazza Vittorio near Termini Station. Hint, hint. My friend, God bless her, even though she's not a fur lover herself, brought her sense of humor. And her camera.

 

I'll be sure to check in occasionally as the Romans start to break out those amazing skin-on-skin, double-cuffed minks and foxes I've seen on the racks. They really know how to construct a fur coat!

 

Ciao!

 

J.

 

Piazza Navona 1: November 2, 2006.

http://i12.tinypic.com/3ye6er6.jpg

 

Piazza Navona 2: November 2, 2006.

http://i11.tinypic.com/2ez1gr7.jpg

 

La Dolce Vita.

http://i12.tinypic.com/47st7xi.jpg

 

Porta Portese flea market: September 26, 2006.

http://i12.tinypic.com/42vu4ck.jpg

 

Porta Portese again; I found a Blue Fox version of the coat on the left, size XL, for 275 euro last weekend. Va Benissimo!

http://i11.tinypic.com/2hi1obq.jpg

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[Mr Barguzin]

Okay Joe... and just how many of those fox coats did you try on??

 

AAAAAAAAaahhhhhhhhh la vie de la fourrure

[Earendil]

Nice Joe!

 

Is that pic of you from Jenny Furs in Rome?

 

[FurLoverinFL]

Great pics, Joe! Well... any new purchases????

 

FLinFL

[ReFur]

Joe,

 

Thanks for the pictures!!

 

Oh, the memories your pictures bring back!! You are in one my very favorite places in the world!! I must visit there again.

 

Linda

[Joe]

E, thanks again for the tip. Yep, that's me in one of the back racks of ENORMOUS blue foxes. They had at least 50 blue fox coats in there, as many as mink, and each one was crafted of thick full pelts with no leather in between. They also had about 10 strollers each in indigo fox, silver fox, raccoon and fisher in addition to a full-length chinchilla, 2 lynxes, a coyote, 3 unimpressive full length golden island, and a beautiful, incredibly soft f/l blush fox coat. Mamma mia.

 

FL, The only items I've managed to buy so far were some odds and ends at the Porta Portese flea market (high quaity blue and black fox collar pieces and a soft black rex rabbit cape to sleep under, all for 35 euro); since I'll be sharing a room and living out of my suitcases for another six more weeks or so, I haven't bought any major ones. With the exchange rate over here, It's pretty hard to find decent fur bargains, although once I've lived here (and gotten paid a bit more) for a bit longer, that will shift. The best deal I found was last week at the Porta Portese - an incredibly soft, thick blue fox cape-coat with dolman sleeves, double-sided cuffs and an 8 inch turn-up collar for about 275 euro (that was after a bit of bargaining). I had to turn the coat down, but after five+ trips to that astounding market, I have a pretty good feeling something will turn up. My only qualms, you can understand, are of the dubious quality and uncertain treatment of anything flea-market. Sure, i've found diamonds in the rough...but furs? After all this time, I like to think I have pretty high standards, even in the contexts of buying off the street. My rex rabbit cape, although incredibly soft, already popped some tiny holes due to dried-out pelts...which I expected, but...capisci?

 

I'll post some picture links whenever I can, and feel free to share your fur reports from wherever you live in the world!

 

ciao ciao,