April 2015 • We Are Fur

Laerke Koldskov talks about Danish designer Astrid Andersen

April 29, 2015

Danish designer Astrid Andersen is a rising star on the international fashion scene. Combining American inspired athletic and street wear with floral print, pink lace and fur she manages to create a street look that is new, provocative and fun meanwhile being luxurious. Astrid Andersen holds a MA in menswear from the prestigious Royal College of Art, where she finished in 2010, and a BA from Teko in Denmark. In 2010, she was nominated in VOGUE Talent 2010 as well as being a finalist in ITS...

Valerie Zimbal Designer and Farmer

April 28, 2015

Valerie Zimbal- most people in the fur industry would recognise Valerie name and associate her with Zimbal Minkery, a family operated mink farm that raises approximately 300,000 mink per year. Valerie Zimbal- most people in the fur industry would recognise Valerie name and associate her with Zimbal Minkery, a family operated mink farm that raises approximately 300,000 mink per year. But now, Valerie is making a name for herself with her mink designs. “I really like to ‘people watch’. Whenever I travel to new places,...

Exciting designer from Denmark Christian Helmer

April 28, 2015

Christian Helmer Petersen is one of the most exciting young designers to emerge from Denmark in recent years. "In my present position as a freelance designer, my collections always depend on the company I am making the collection for and who their costumers are. An important thing for me is to always be aware of my surroundings and I spend a lot time on blogs, to see what is happening around the world. Fairs like Premier Vision in Paris are also very important in my search...

Kelli Mcguinness is a BA Fashion Design graduate

April 28, 2015

Kelli Mcguinness is a BA Fashion Design graduate and womenswear designer specialising in knitwear mixed with a diverse use of woven fabrics. She is innovating ways of layering various techniques of textiles and experimenting with the use of colour and form. “My key style influences come from a variety of places,” says Kelli. “I enjoy people who are unique and express themselves through their style. I love layering and clashing colours, prints and textures, creating an aesthetically stimulating visual through your style. The person who...

Sophie Skach Viennese fashion designer

April 28, 2015

Sophie Skach is a London based Viennese fashion designer who, despite her youth, has already gained international credit for her talent. “My approach to fashion comes through drawing, so I suppose my first style moment was when I started drawing at the age of one. Since then, I naturally grew to love fashion and am dedicated to it.” At the age of 16, Sophie was commissioned to design an underwear collection for Skiny. Since then she has held internship positions at Swarovski as well as Geiger and developed knitwear collections...

Young designer Lucy Upsher Journey so far…

April 28, 2015

Lucy Upsher is a young designer and Fur Futures member who graduated from the University of Westminster in London with a BA(Hons) in Fashion Design. During her studies, she interned at Mary Katrantzou, Christopher Kane, Katie Eary, Jonathan Saunders and Louis Goldin and has most recently worked in a Junior Designer role at Roberto Cavalli in the Womenswear Print department. She says "My first ‘style-moment’ would have been around the Spice Girl era; most aspects of my life took inspiration from them at the time. At...

Fur Futures Member Rebecca Hermes

April 28, 2015

Rebecca Hermes recently graduated from the University of Westminster’s BA Fashion Design course with a fur-orientated collection inspired by Lindsay Lohan and her time at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in LA. "I also take inspiration from the work of Helmut Newton and Tom Ford, and the ‘90’s Supers’ like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Kate Moss," said Rebecca. Rebecca Hermes previously worked at London furrier Hockley, learning how to use and work with skins. She has also spent time at Swiss...

Kelli McGuinness gets inspired at Saga Furs’ Design Centre

April 28, 2015

Kelli McGuinness is a knitwear designer and Fur Futures member from the UK, who has a strong interest in fur. Here, she tells us all about her trip to Saga Furs' Design Centre in Copenhagen. As a young designer I am always looking for new inspiration and ways of developing and building on my skills. After visiting the Saga Furs exhibition stand at MIFUR last year, I was blown away by the creativity and diversity of their design samples. The bright colours and intricate techniques...

Kelli Mcguinness Attends Fur MasterClass Supreme Workshop

April 28, 2015

Kelli McGuinness, Fur Futures member reports on her experience at the Fur MasterClass Supreme workshop at Centria University in Finland. I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the Masterclass Supreme Fur workshop at Centria University in Finland as a young designer with a special interest in fur and leather. This course is an intense 3-day workshop aimed to expand the minds of creatives into expressing their individuality through working with diverse and challenging fabrics. On the first day of the Fur MasterClass Supreme...

New York Blogger – Stella

April 24, 2015

Fashion Blogger Stella writes her blog from the heart of New York. "My first fashion memory was when I was 5 and I thought it would be fun to entertain my mom and her friends who were over for lunch with a fabulous fashion show, featuring me the model, stylist, and fashion show producer. It is no wonder that I grew up to be a fashionista," she explains. She also writes for various online magazines and is a PR / Marketing / Events Director who...

Meet influential fashion blogger Lady Fur

April 24, 2015

Italian Fashion Designer, Samantha De Reviziis turned her passion for fur into a successful second career as a professional blogger with ‘We Love Fur’. As ‘Lady Fur’, Samantha is the first independent fur blogger on the web and is involved in a number of on and offline fashion projects and collaborations with online magazines. She says "My key influences are the materials, sensations, colours, and all kind of forms and structures. I also draw my inspiration from people: what people are wearing, for example: vintage,...

Interview with fashion blogger MIRIAM STELLA from ITALY

April 24, 2015

An Italian engineer with a passion for fashion? Miriam Stella is just that! Pursuing her profession as an engineer during the day, Miriam turns into a professional fashion blogger at night. "My first style moment was when I saw my mother applying her makeup and getting dressed before leaving. The way she chose her clothes and shoes she was wearing – my mother she was my first fashion inspiration! However, I think things like personal style are within our DNA." I love aristocratic and ‘bon...