Vintage fur : Remodel / Remake / Update

[softgrey]

has anyone done this or seen it done well...?

* i confess, i started to cut up an old 1950's tibetan lamb coat that had been given to me and it literally started to fall apart in my hands...
...



oh well- better now than while i'm out wearing it...



anyone have any good reference photos they've found?
working with fur is actually more complicated than i had realized...
and having a coat remodeled can cost around $500-$600...
would be great to be able to do some simple things oneself...

 

[softgrey]

ok- fine...just me then?

...

right- so i am going to try something...
wish me luck...
will post pics of the results...
maybe they'll inspire someone...

 

[Gábor]

Well, I'm curious to see the results.

 

[Melisande]

Falling apart in the hands...sounds familiar...
I inherited a lovely full-length blue-grey vintage sheared fur coat and the leather started to rip apart in the sleeves, not even in the seams... I'm wondering if it's salvageable...any ideas?

 

[softgrey]

if it's tearing like that M-
that probably means the skins are dried out and no matter how many times you try to repair it, it will tear again and again in more and more places......
it's basically like trying to wear paper...
there is no real way to save it as a whole, unfortunately...

what i was going to try to do is cut fur pieces and attach them to an already existing garment as large patch pockets or some other kind of accents...
but the fur i was working with (some kind of brown fox or racoon and persian lamb) was very dry and was just shedding like crazy...
not very elegant or chic...
...

if your fur isn't shedding too much, you could try something like that M...
mink usually doesn't shed as much as longer furs, so you might be in luck and grey fur on a black wool or leather coat/jacket could be stunning...

i eventually gave that up, but i did wind up attaching a brown mink shawl collar to a greyish wool coat i have from marni and am very pleased with the results...

i have started to take apart my mom's crystal fox jacket from the 70's/80's?
it had a white collar on it that i just couldn't bear...
i'd like to add some black leather to it to make it a bit cooler...
i'd like to get that worked out and finished so it's ready to wear by next season...

i think black leather would look pretty awesome with your grey mink M

 

[Melisande]

Softie I just saw this, so sorry! And thanks for the amazing reply and ideas!
I hadn't even thought of taking it apart to use in other pieces, so I will definitely look into that.

You are right, luckily the fur doesn't shed at all.

Hmm, I may even make a throw or pillows out of it, in winter I love taking naps on it anyway...

 

[softgrey]

whew...
finally finished up the fox fur jacket i started taking apart...
after shortening the sleeves to 3/4 length, i sewed the lining back in and it came out so cute!...
...

thinking about making a muff out of the left over fur sleeves..

 

[softgrey]

have an idea about the leftover fur sleeves now...
going to attach it to a scarf...
but not on the ends...
in the middle...
so when i wrap the scarf i have a fur muff around my neck...
yummy!

*hope it looks as good as i think it will...

 

[softgrey]

^^well- i did it...
not with the fox sleeves but with some black mongolian lamb and a boucle knit scarf...
it came out so good i don't even care about the fox anymore cause i will wear this black scarf so much more...

it is A M A Z I N G !!!


so pleased with the result...
totally worth the effort...

 

[softgrey]

i found this...
it's very similar to what i did myself...
i think this is great!

zozo

 

[softgrey]

this is the fox fur i altered...
shortened sleeves and removed white fur collar and trim...


also- i shortened the blk fox stole so it can now be worn as a scarf...

la...la...la...

 

[Street_a_Licious]

omg i was looking for something like this.

i bought an old blue fox coat, and it's so huge! i don't know if its the fur itself, or if there's padding underneath. it shed like crazy too in the beginning, but i had it cleaned and tumbled, which took away most of the loose hair.

it screams 80s, i really don't know what to do with it...

 

[Street_a_Licious]

Pic I found from the seller pre purchase. I already spent some money on cleaning and remodel of the collar, to a more modern round collar. But it's still so puffy and I don't know how to proceed

 

[softgrey]

Pic I found from the seller pre purchase. I already spent some money on cleaning and remodel of the collar, to a more modern round collar. But it's still so puffy and I don't know how to proceed

Did you every do anything with this coat?