Fashion: Animal magnetism with faux fur

The current season’s faux furs, so much in fashion, can deceive the eye and touch. Fur has been flying on the catwalks and fake animal pelts are having their day. A lot of what is real can look fake and vice versa, which can create its own fashion dilemmas.

The call of the wild means shaggy cover ups and teddy coats – modern fabric technology can make very convincing reproductions of authentic hides, as this shoot illustrates so well.

In a season that demands comfort and warmth, designers such as Lanvin, Dsquared and Sacai have taken fur in new directions, some in dramatic trims while Louis Vuitton’s white teddy bear coat (with matching furry bag), the most photographed of all, has been widely copied on the high street.

Stella McCartney’s version went even further, a massive white floor-length polar bear coat, faux of course.

Faux animal fur padded into accessories too – Gucci lined its flats and leather clogs with fur insoles and even iterated the theme with a fake fur leopard print bow tie.

Elsewhere Philipp Plein’s soft white furry backpack demanded stroking while a bracelet sleeve coat and fur collar always packs an elegant punch.

The whole point about faux fur is that it is being used in similar ways to the real thing though many of the new fakes are dyed in vibrant colours. So the same principles apply – not too much leopard print (now often made with fake rabbit fur) for the faint hearted.

The allure and sensual comfort of a fur trim on a hat, on a collar or cuffs (some brands are applying fur to sleeves on plain coats) is that it will always add that unmistakable look of glamour and luxury even on a utilitarian parka.

The popularity of shearling is a throwback to the 1970s and the hippie craze for Afghan coats, but today's cheap sheep chic stands out from the flock. Penneys fake versions of sheepskin gilets, an easier way to wear any kind of fake fur, were one of the season's best buys as were H&M's vibrant multicoloured coats.

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANITA SADOWSKA

STYLIST: CARMEL DALY; MAKE-UP/HAIR: ROY WONG

MODEL: LAURA @ DISTINCT MODEL MANAGEMENT