It is now clear that social networks – mainly Instagram and TikTok – accelerate fashion trends (I remind you that style remains, fashion fades).
After the “French Clean Girl” trend, the “Old Money” trend, here comes during this Winter 2023-2024 the “Mob Wife” trend (why do we romanticize the deadly phenomenon that is mafia, I have no idea), which perfectly adapts to the cold season because it requires heavy makeup, bling stuff, leather and especially fur, lots of fur. It seems that the inspiration for this new trend that came from nowhere (or maybe it is because of the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Sopranos series) is Sharon Stone in her role as Ginger in the 1995 film “Casino” by Martin Scorsese.
Observers of the fashion industry, such as Business Of Fashion, note that the “Mob Wife” trend is fuelling the resurgence in fur, which represents a major turnaround for a fur market that has been the subject of a progressive and inevitable banishment during these past years.
On Instagram, there are raging debates about wearing real fur – recent or vintage – or fake fur.
Raging debates that I had already discussed here in 2017.
The major argument in favor of fake fur is obviously the protection of the animal species concerned – and with hindsight, the fact that 85% of furs come from farmed animals looks like organized cruelty since they are bred only to be killed. Some are only raised and killed for their fur, while others are killed for their fur and other parts of their body (I am thinking for example of rabbits, whose flesh is eaten and whose fur is also used). In 2024, it’s still not very satisfactory when one is trying to live responsibly.
However, in my eyes, faux fur does not offer a satisfactory alternative.
The nylon, acrylic and polyester needed to make faux fur are made from non-renewable petroleum. These synthetic fibers will take between 500 and a thousand years to degrade, which is also unsatisfactory in the context of reasonable consumption.
What is the solution to escape this deadly loop?
If you want to wear fur, it seems to me that real vintage fur is the best alternative to date.
Real vintage fur presents the advantage of not supporting the introduction on the market of new clothes that we absolutely do not need and which, in the more specific case of fur, participates in an endless cruel and deadly loop.
Real vintage fur presents the advantage, unlike fake fur, of not creating new ecological disasters (which will take centuries to resolve) and sociological disasters (with people having to handle petroleum derivatives and chemical dyes to create fake fur).
Real vintage fur presents the advantage of durability, as it is sustainable enough to pass from one generation to another, be it within the same family, on a second-hand app or in a thrift store.
Beyond this debate about real versus fake fur, two thoughts here.
Some people take advantage of the social media to insult the ones who wear real fur (without knowing if it is vintage or recent fur), by calling them murderers (nothing less – that happened to me when I posted regularly on Instagram, it was in another life). As I like consistency – which is the most complicated thing to achieve in a lifetime when one tries to accord one’s act with one’s opinion – I only accept this type of comment from people who consume absolutely no animal. When one buys a leather bag or a pair of shoes, one carries the remains of a dead animal on the feet or at arm’s length. When one eats meat or fish, one consumes the flesh of an animal.
Some people have the strength of conviction – the consistency of conviction – to refuse to consume other animal species and I truly admire such strength. These ones are the only ones allowed to insult me.
We are all or almost consumers (I was going to say victims) of industries which want us to consume endlessly, and I come to my second thought.
Going from the “French Clean Girl” trend to the “Old Money” trend to the “Mob Wife” trend denotes a lack of self-reflection and personal style which perfectly resonates with the “style versus fashion” debate. The fashion industry is only there to take advantage of this lack of personal reflection in order to sell more. Fashion profits from lost souls. The succession of these trends almost resembles costume or cosplay – which in any case is far from the construction of a purely personal style. This wouldn’t be a problem if such personal wanderings did not lead to seasonal overconsumption.
Editor’s note. To illustrate this article, I give you a real fur, purchased ten years ago second hand – like the dress. I haven’t bought fur for 8 or 9 years, I no longer have a taste for it for all the reasons mentioned above. I gave around many pieces and kept three coats and two jackets (which is still a lot of fur). For this article, I chose the most extravagant piece of fur of my dressing. Do I look like Ginger? Do I look like a mob wife? No, of course.
February 2, 2024
Fendi coat – Christian Dior dress and purse – Christian Louboutin heels – Vintage gloves
