Shops create new looks with vintage or worn furs

The luxury and value of a fur transcends time.

As styles change, these soft and supple garments can be transformed. Restyled furs can update a look and reflect a changing lifestyle. They also have sentimental value.

Alice Logan of Swissvale took a damaged 10-year-old, mid-calf length, silver fox coat to be restyled by William Pryor Jr., owner of Pryor Furs in the Hill District.

"I used to only wear that coat when I walked the dog," Logan says. "But when I went to pick it up, I couldn't believe it was the same coat. It looked brand-new. Mr. Pryor is a magician."

The average cost of a restyle is between $1,100 to $1,850, says Guy Herrmann, president of Carl W. Herrmann Furs, Downtown.

"We can take an older coat and turn it into something that is 2010 fashion, turn it into something that is uniquely you," Herrmann says. "There are so many possibilities from adding to removing fur, to combining with other materials, or dying any number of colors. We can create something that fits your lifestyle and taste."

Experts such as Herrmann can help you decide the best option. He guided Beverly Weinstein of Squirrel Hill to turn a 14-year-old long and bulky mink into a gorgeous sheared, short coat.

"I am getting more wear out of it now than I ever would have the other way," Weinstein says." He made me a hat (with the extra fur). I can wear this coat with jeans -- and when I get dressed up. I couldn't believe it was the same coat."

That's pretty much how Joy Gaffney of Mt. Pleasant Township, Washington County, felt about the restyling of her 1982 hip-length mink coat. She says the original design looked like something out of "Dynasty," complete with shoulder pads.

"Carl Herrmann laid the world of furs at my feet," Gaffney says. "He took this coat and sheared it, removed the shoulder pads, cut it down a little bit, and added a raccoon collar. It is a beautiful coat."

Uncovering the beauty of these timeless garments is why Pryor Jr. continues the business his father William Pryor Sr. started in 1947. Logan took a second piece to Pryor -- a 45-year-old beaver coat -- to be turned into vest with a hood.

"This coat was my grandmother's and when I think about it I get a little teary-eyed," Logan says. "I can't wait to see it when it's done."

Taking something that belonged to a relative and giving it your personality is a big reason behind restyling, especially with younger consumers wearing fur and wanting an updated piece, says Alan Herscovici, executive vice president of the Fur Council of Canada.

"Furs were so strong in the '70s and '80s and there was a period when it went down, but it started coming back," Herscovici says. "There has been a lot of innovation and styles have changed. People have furs that are in good condition, but they want something different. The beauty of fur is you can restyle it pretty much into anything you want. It's a great investment."

"People pass fur coats from generation to generation," says Keith Kaplan, executive director of Fur Information Council of America. "It is kind of like when you go to a jeweler to reset or redesign a diamond that's a family heirloom. You may replace the setting, but the diamond is still the same."

With this season's unsually cold weather, he says, "there has been a rush for restyling and remodeling like we haven't seen in 10-15 years,"

Furs are being worn more often and more casually. A shorter version may be more suitable for getting in and out of a car, going to the store, or to lunch with friends. But it still looks fabulous to wear in the evening.

Reusing fur is the premise behind a Website called furisgreen.com, which points out that fur is sustainable and a material that is a renewable natural resource.

But People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is against the idea.

"Our stance is that vintage fur sends the same unacceptable message as new fur," says Kate Brindle, campaigner for PETA at its headquarters in Norfolk, Va. "To have animals who have had their necks snapped or been electrocuted for the sake of vanity is unacceptable. We refuse to promote the idea they are fabrics for us to wear or recycle."

"I believe no woman can go through life with one pair of shoes or one coat," says Keith Rosenstock, owner of Canadian Fur Company, Downtown. But he suggests considering whether the old coat is worth the investment of a restyling.

"You may want to consider trading in toward the purchase of a new one," Rosenstock says. "Why put good money after bad• I try to look at the actual cash value of something, I look at the utility -- can you get more wear out of it -- and the sentimental value of it."

There is an art to working with fur, from taking the garment apart to understanding how to shift pieces around that might be worn out, says Pryor Jr.

"The key is to think twice, cut once," Pryor Jr. says. "It is best to talk about it before you do anything to it. When considering a restyle, think about what you want it for, where you plan to wear it and the dominant colors in your wardrobe."

For furriers, the process challenges their creativity every day in designing that custom-made garment.

"There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a customer jumping up and down after she looked at herself in the fur coat you restyled," Pryor Jr. says. "Seeing a customer who is ecstatic feels really good, because a part of you goes into every fur you restyle."

Length is one aspect of restyling, but only one facet of it, says Roberta Weissburg, owner of Roberta Weissburg Leathers in Shadyside and SouthSide Works.

"Sometimes, it needs just a small change while other times it needs something a little more," she says. "The nice thing is you can pretty decide what style you want for your lifestyle."

Weissburg converted a 20-year-old, full-length mink for customer Carol Steinbach of Squirrel Hill into a knee-length jacket.

"Roberta had so many great ideas and she took this coat that was outdated and brought it into today's style," Steinbach says. "It's such a complete revelation. And she is making a hat and scarf with the extra fur for my daughter."

These tips will help in your consideration to restyle a fur:

• Make sure fur is in good condition and has been stored properly.

• Think about how you plan to wear the garment.

• Look in your closet to find what is your "go-to" coat -- the one you grab first -- and fashion the restyle after it

• Think about combining the fur with other materials.

• Use extra fur for collars.

• Make pillows with extra fur.

Source: Roberta Weissburg

• Store in cold storage.

• Clean annually.

• Have rips or tears repaired immediately.

• Hang on a broad-shoulder hanger -- never a wire hanger. Allow enough space so it's not crushed.

• Never hang in bags of any type. Plastic or rubber-lined bags prevent air from circulating, which can dry out the leather.

• Do not store in cedar closets because cedar absorbs moisture, which can dry fur out.

• Do not store with mothballs because they react with moisture in the air to produce a gas that acts as a fumigant, which can cause irreparable damage.

• Avoid spraying perfume, hairspray or other chemicals on fur. The alcohol content will dry the leather and stiffen the guard hairs.

• If your fur gets wet, shake it out and hang it to dry in a well-ventilated room. Avoid direct heat or radiators.

Source: Fur Information Council of America