Real or Faux, the Refurgence Is Ongoing

A year past the not-so-micro mobwife trend, a controversial comeback evidently remains both in tact, and cause for concern. What was initially conceived of, here, as a quick skim of cold-weather pap shots, would turn into a Best of Furvival carousel – by accident.

Because zeroing in on Aspen's Après Ski styles revealed the once-but-no-longer animate object's bewildering popularity – no pun intended (well, okay, a little maybe) – with everyone from Bella Hadid to Mariah Carey.

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A prediction come true, animal pelts are (still) en vogue. So much so, it merited its very own, separate investigation into the many, many instances of recent, fur-clad celebrity sightings.

Mrs. Bieber and the Jenner sisters, for instance, appear especially enthralled, sporting what I've begun to think are each different species per occasion, for every day of the week.

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"What do Kylie's cocktail hour and Hailey's coffee run have in common?", you might've asked. Ding Ding Ding! Guessed it. Bet she asked for oat milk though.

So, faux or not, collars and hats, elegant coats as well as cozy puffers are all trimmed – if not covered entirely – with fluffy fibers.

And however cliché one might find this toward the backdrop of winter sports resorts, know that the (faux) fur trend has long made its way from the Colorado mountain tops to the streets of New York and Paris, too.

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It's easy, really: The material has literally been around forever, with iterations of it present across all decades, essentially – from our times spent in caves, to the Victorian era, later boho chic, on "eclectic grandpas", and beyond; always appointed to signal a certain sense of opulence, wealth, and worldliness, and then to mirror bygone, romanticized aesthetics.

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Though it's been years since high-impact players like Kering bid farewell to real fur, vegan fashion is still a relative novelty, and consumer perception's been rather erratic, historically.

There are arguments that say an uptick in interest for fur and its likeness is enough to put animal welfare at risk, regardless of real or fake, vintage or new, big brand or small. Others fiercely condone the thrifting of it in particular, in the name of sustainability and to honor the being that was sacrificed.

The conclusion? Proceed with caution, as the ethics of this ongoing resurgence are no less muddled in 2025 than they were before. Yet opposite the many fleeting fads we brush past, this one's lasting power must be credited – fur better or worse.

Here's to hoping it doesn't come back to bite us ...

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