Fur Report from West End/Gatwick - Saturday 3rd January

[MrMockle]

All,

 

Apologies in advance to the moderators for starting another topic on a similar theme but yesterday's sightings and experience were probably worthy of a new line rather than a reply to a dated post.

 

Another Saturday, another stroll through London's West End, after a stop off at Gatwick Airport to see Ms Mockle off on a flight. I wasn't sure if the trip could really beat last Saturday's spots and expected a quiet time but I'm pleased to report that if anything I saw even more furs and a much greater range. In total I saw at least 60 real furs coats in Gatwick Airport, Victoria Station and the Oxford Street/Regent Street area - again mostly short coneys on younger women and long minks on older women but more fox, sable and leopard/cat stencilled furs too - plus many fake furs (as before) and a much higher number of real fur trimmed coats, jackets, capes and a few tippets too. To round off the day I decided to pop into Hockley's furriers on Conduit Street and was pleasantly surprised by my time there too. Here are the edited highlights of what I saw on my travels:

 

- An attractive middle aged brunette woman in a brown skunk jacket out with her partner in Regent Street. She was quite chatty, almost a little flirty even, and after giving her my compliments she mentioned that she was starting to collect furs too.

- A pretty young Japanese woman in a cute white and biege long coney coat near Carnaby Street. I complimented her on her coat and got a sweet smile and thanks back.

- A middle aged Italian blonde woman in a golden short sable coat in Selfridges. I complimented her on her coat and got a nice smile back.

- A young English brunette woman in a black coney coat browsing for books in Selfridges. I got another lovely smile and an "ah thank you" after complimenting her.

- An attractive continental blonde woman in a black sheared coney jacket with black fox collar and cuffs at Gatwick Airport.

- A young English blonde woman in a charming burgundy hooded coney jacket in M&S at Gatwick Airport.

- A middle aged continental brunette woman in a short black mink jacket with her young daughter wearing a hooded white coney jacket at Gatwick train station.

- A pretty young brunette woman in a grey coney jacket in Victoria Station.

- An older Italian blonde woman in a lovely golden sable coat in Carnaby Street and later on in Selfridges.

- A cute young blonde woman in a blue fox stranded jacket in Oxford Circus.

- An older blonde woman in a beige and brown striped sheared mink stroller with matching chinchilla trim in Oxford Circus.

- A middle aged brunette in a dark brown hooded long mink coat in Oxford Street.

- An older brunette woman in a blue fox jacket in Oxford Street.

- An older Italian blonde woman in a gorgeous leopard stencilled mink coat in Marble Arch.

- A middle aged brunette woman in a brown sheared mink bolero jacket in Marble Arch.

- A pretty young Spanish blonde woman in a black mink bolero jacket in Oxford Street.

- A lovely young Russian brunette woman in a gray fox jacket in Selfridges.

- A pretty young Russian brunette in a black coney stroller browsing for shoes in Selfridges.

- A striking middle aged Italian redhead woman in a black coney jacket in Selfridges.

- A pretty young Russian blonde woman in a gorgeous white fox gillet in Selfridges.

- An older continental blonde woman in a green dyed thick fox stroller in Selfridges.

- A striking young Russian brunette woman in a brown long mink coat in Debenhams.

- A pretty Italian brunette woman carrying a black fox jacket in John Lewis.

- An older blonde woman in a brown mink stroller and blue fox hat in Oxford Street.

- A young brunette woman in a brown squirrel jacket in Oxford Circus.

- A striking English brunette woman in a gorgeous brown mink stroller outside Hockley's in Conduit Street.

- A young brunette woman in a white and beige coney jacket in Regent Street.

- Another young brunette woman in a white and beige coney bomber jacket in Top Shop.

- A young Russian brunette woman in a brown sheared mink stroller with brown fox collar and cuffs in Oxford Street.

- A cute young English blonde woman in a brown coney jacket in Carnaby Street.

- A striking middle aged continental blonde in a lovely brown knitted mink belted jacket in Carnaby Street.

- A middle aged continental blonde woman in a leopard stencilled short mink coat in Regent Street.

- A young French brunette woman in a black mink stroller in Regent Street.

- An older continental blonde woman in a raccoon stroller in Oxford Street.

- An older continental blonde woman in a white sheared mink stroller with white fox trim in Oxford Street.

- An older brunette woman in a golden hooded mink stroller in Oxford Street.

- A midle aged continental brunette woman in a red fox jacket in Oxford Street.

- A young dark haired man (looking a little like Marc Ronson) in a silver grey coney jacket in Conduit Street.

 

I mentioned Hockley's above and the brunette in the mink stroller; she was standing outside when I first walked by early in the day and the store had a few customers inside so I continued my stroll. When I popped back later though it seemed empty so I went in. I was met by a couple of female staff and started talking to one of them about some repairs I needed done; she may even have been the brunette in the mink stroller I had seen outside earlier that afternoon. She was very helpful and friendly, attractive too and it was certainly not the frosty reception I had been expecting from other fur fans I know who have been there. We then started chatting about a few furs of the furs I saw on their rails (although sadly not modelled by the sales staff) and possible future purchases I am considering. Their stock isn't cheap but goodness they have some lovely things in there. Sadly they did say that it will be some time before they can perform many repairs as so many women have been getting their coats out and bringing them in for repairs and reworking but I'll take a couple of mine in soon if I can at least for their opinion and estimate. After a few moments, two or three larger Italian women came in to start looking through the rails of minks so I left the store then to let the staff deal with their new customers.

 

All in all then, another wonderful day. Couldn't possibly be as good three Saturday's in a row, could it?

 

Regards,

Mr Mockle

[FrBrGr]

And "they" thought that fur was dead in the UK . . . (!) Ha!!

 

BTW, Mr M - Not only do you have a keen eye for fur (What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday!) you have a keen eye for women. How, may I ask, can you identify a woman's nationality just by admiring her in her fur coat? Did you have the good fortune of being able to chat with each? I'll bet Mrs Mockle didn't know where you were or what you were up to!

[MrMockle]

FrBrGr,

 

Goodness no, fur is far from dead over here and certainly even from my brief trips out I've never seen so many being worn over here. A long spell of very cold and dry weather has helped though; usually our winters are milder and much wetter but we've had very little rain and temperatures hovering around freezing for a few weeks so the women are out in force in their furs.

 

I have a pretty good ear for languages although the nationality of the wearers I listed has an element of guess work. Certainly if I have stopped to speak with them or pass them by on the street they are usually chatting to their partner or friends or on their mobile phones so that makes it much easier. I was expecting to see the usual range of older continental European women in their longer minks, usually Italian, but this year have heard lots of Russian and similar Eastern European accents among fur wearers and a pleasing number of British accents too among younger and older wearers. Fortunately most of those I have stopped to compliment their coats have understood enough English to converse even if just a "thank you" and a smile but each major trip brings on a newer and longer chat with a new woman in her coat. The brunette in the skunk was one person I should have chatted with more definitely as was the lady in Crawley mall in her golden coat (which on reflection was probably more sable than mink). I'm thinking of getting a few business cards made up for my site so that I can hand them to fur wearers with whom I work up a rapport; not to give to every passing furclad woman but those who clearly show an interest in chatting about them. And I only chat with a handful when the opportunity is right; wouldn't want to do so too publicly or when it's too crowded but a few discrete words when things are quiet are more appropriate.

 

And as for Ms Mockle, she was with me for one of these chats too which was fine and knows that I enjoy seeing others in fur. She ribbed me a little about the chats but wore fur three times last week, twice in mink and knows where my affections lie!

 

Regards,

Mr Mockle

[MrMockle]

All,

 

An update on other sights, sounds and events from my week. Most days I've been staying local but have still seen a handful of young women wearing coney or musquash jackets around and a couple of older women wearing mink coat. I complimented a couple of them on their jackets and got nice "thank you"s in return; a middle aged English blonde woman in a burgundy coney jacket and a young brunette woman in a black sheared coney jacket with full coney collar and trim. However Wednesday was much more special as I had another day up in London with my friend Fifi with the aim to visit a couple of furriers and see about the repairs to my chinchilla.

 

The day started well from the moment I got off the train at Victoria and getting off a few doors ahead of me was a gorgeous young brunette in a lovely red coney jacket with black coney collar and cuffs. As I walked past her I complimented her on her fur and got a lovely smile and several thanks for my comment; she was Russian or eastern European and looked very much like Famke Janssen in her Xenia Onatopp persona from Goldeneye. Waiting for Fifi in Victoria station I saw a handful of other furs too: an older English brunette in a pretty brown long mink coat, a middle Aged Japanese woman in a lynx cropped jacket and a few women in coney jackets.

 

Fifi finally arrived wearing a knee length blackglama belted mink coat (actually, my blackglama mink coat as I had lent it to her) and a nice silver fox scarf. We walked up towards the West End spotting a few more furs on the way - a couple of minks and coney jackets again but nothing too special - and finally got up to Hockleys. We spent a while inside browsing the rails while the sales staff were dealing with other customers and when the lady I had spoken to on Saturday was free I showed her the chinchilla and talked about the repairs needing done. It became clear that it wasn't going to be an easy job and anyway I knew they were busy with other repairs for a few weeks so I agreed to take it elsewhere for other opinions. One aural highlight of the day was the lady suggesting that if I didn't want to get it repaired that I should keep it and just get it out to stroke it every now and then! How did we keep straight faces at that remark?!

 

Next stop was my usual furriers after a short walk and bus ride, again seeing a couple of coney jackets on the way. A warm welcome as usual and also for the chinchilla too although I'll wait to see what their quote for the repairs is first. We must have had a good hour and a half or so chatting and browsing the rails there, Fifi trying on several new and vintage minks which were all most becoming. Lovely to see a few of the customers who visited while we were there wearing furs: an English blonde customer came in wearing a fabulous knee length lynx coat, a couple more women wore mink jackets and even the young woman helping out with repairs had her leopard/ocelot coat with her. Despite the temptation of the newer furs we bought some vintage items, both getting a mink coat and I also got a black musquash coat with black fox trim, all for bargain prices.

 

Before we left we also spotted a very cute white knitted rabbit bolero jacket, in marvellous condition and originally from Hockleys but with a tag labelled with a name which Fi and I jokingly suggested might last have belonged to a famous UK celebrity. We asked about it on leaving - and were stunned to her that it was the lady in question's fur! Apparently this lady visits there often to trade in her older stock and has been quoted in fashion magazines saying that she loves visiting this furrier! At hearing this (seeing the articles) and at the price I was offered it, I just had to buy it too - and will look out for more of her furs when next there! Funnily enough I was thinking about buying a fur from Hockleys on the train up to London but never thought I'd really get one until that lucky find! A lovely end to a fabulous afternoon, followed by a long chat over a light dinner and few drinks before catching the train home, passing a young blonde woman in a red fox jacket at Victoria station too!

 

Might be popping back to the West End tomorrow but only in passing. The weather's starting to get more mild and probably wetter from the weekend so this may be the last of the real cold for a while here in the south - but while it lasted it was fantastic!

 

Regards,

Mr Mockle

[White Fox]

Now I know for absolute dead certain that there is more fur in London than there is here in Canada!

 

Glad to hear things are coming back to normal there even more all of the time. It can only help other spots as well.

 

W

[elbas3175]

MrMockle,

 

Do you mind if I ask which is your regular furrier? I know of Hockley, Gale, Noble, and Bianca.

[MrMockle]

All,

 

Another Saturday trip to and through London but not such a long one. If anything however London felt even colder than in recent weeks probably due to a much sharper wind. I think I saw around 25 furs today and the highlights are listed below:

 

- A young French brunette woman in a blue fox piece jacket in Fenwicks on Bond Street. My compliment got a smile and thank you.

- An elegant middle aged English blonde woman in a long black mink coat in M&S on Oxford Street. I complimented her on her coat and got a nice thank you and smile in return.

- A younger continental blonde woman in a brown mink coat with brown fox trim in Oxford Street. Another compliment and a thank you.

- Another elegant middle aged English blonde in a lovely raccoon jacket in Victoria Station. Yet another compliment and yet another lovely smile and thank you in return.

- An older Italian brunette woman in a long brown mink coat in Oxford Street.

- A younger Eastern European redhead woman in a beaver cropped jacket in Oxford Street.

- A striking young brunette woman in a lovely black coney jacket and hat standing outside HMV.

- An older blonde woman in a golden mink 3/4 coat in Oxford Street.

- A cute young Russian brunette woman in a lovely sky blue coney 3/4 coat with sky blue fox trim in Selfridges.

- A young Russian brunette woman in a beaver jacket in House of Fraser.

- An older German woman in a rich brown long mink coat in Carnaby Street.

- A young English blonde woman in a brown coney jacket around Carnaby Street.

- A younger black woman in a red fox belly/paw stroller around Carnaby Street.

- An older Italian blonde woman in a brown mink jacket with a blue fox headband in Oxford Circus.

- A young blonde woman in a stranded blue fox jacket in Oxford Circus Tube Station.

 

Might be the last such major sighting for a while if the weather warms and wettens as expected but we'll see. I also had the pleasure of Fifi and her partner's company on the Friday night out for a few drinks, where she wore her new faun (lunaraine?) mink coat from Wednesday's shopping trip!

 

Regards,

Mr Mockle

[FrBrGr]

I love to read your accounts, Mr M!

[MrMockle]

All,

 

Just been out in Brighton and Hove running errands on a mild (9 degrees C) wet and wild day out and saw three real furs and a few more fakes and trims. The middle aged blonde in the stranded blue fox jacket in Hove was nice (and thanked me on my compliment), the younger brunette woman in the brown seal (or possibly seal stencilled mink) hooded jacket in Brighton station nicer but today's highlight was the pretty young brunette woman (possibly a student) in a cute silver-grey coney jacket in Brighton's Zavvi; we chatted briefly after my compliment and her smile and thanks. That chat got my thinking though, perhaps I should make up some sort of business cards to hand out to some of those fur wearers I have complimented who have been keen to chat more? Something to mull over.

 

FrBrGr: glad that you and others are enjoying hearing about my adventures and especially glad that there has been so much to report from the southern UK this winter too.

 

Regards,

Mr Mockle

[MrMockle]

All,

 

An even milder day than yesterday but yet more furs spotted around Brighton today; two quick sightings in town topped and tailed by two chats to younger fur wearers. The quick spots were of a middle aged brunette woman in a black coney jacket in Zavvi and of a middle aged Eastern European blonde woman in a dark brown mink jacket in the mall. But on the way to the mall I walked passed a pretty younger brunette woman, Northern Irish I think and possibly a student, in a lovely dark brown musquash coat. I complimented her on her coat and we got chatting for a few moments; she wasn't sure what sort of fur her coat was so I told her and explained what musquash is; we also talked about a small rip in the sleeve of her coat and whether it could be repaired. Before heading off on my way I gave her the address of my website in case she wanted to visit and search through some other fur links there and wished her well with her day! Then on the way home I saw another pretty younger brunette woman, English and possibly another student, in a light brown coney jacket. Another compliment given and another lovely smile and thank you received!

 

Good signs indeed for the next generation of fur wearers from the sights I've seen so far this winter!

 

Regards,

Mr Mockle

[elbas3175]

You're on fire, Mr Mockle! It's a good line - I'll take your photo and make you a star!

 

The business card idea is interesting. What would be the purpose? I thought you'd stopped updating your site a while ago. Are you thinking of starting again?