Hollywood Glamour With a Hip, Vegan Twist

If you’ve ever looked at your grandmother’s photographs of days gone by and pined for a time when women looked like goddesses stepping down from the silver screen … all you have to do is boot up your computer and head over to CoquetteFauxFurriers.com for a shopping spree of cruelty-free accessories that will have you channeling old Hollywood glamour with a hip, vegan twist. We had a chance to talk to Coquette’s founder, Claire Westby, from her home in Victoria about her penchant for all things glamorous and vintage-inspired. So put a record on the gramophone and read the interview, below:

How did you become a “faux furrier”?
I started Coquette Faux Furriers in October 2002 because I couldn’t find stylish, vintage-inspired muff-and-stole sets in faux fur anywhere. I made a leopard print set for myself and had so many requests for muffs from friends that I thought others might need them as well. I put a few locally in stores and sold some at craft fairs and then started my online store.

How would you respond if someone asked you, “Why should I choose faux fur over real?”?
There are so many good answers to that question! Faux fur is much cheaper than the real deal and lasts far longer (which is why I prefer to create classic styles that can become cherished family heirlooms, rather than trendy and disposable, as our landfills are already too crowded), so from an economic standpoint it makes the most sense. When one thinks of the pollution caused by factory farming of animals for their fur, and the amount of water and food that they need which could be going to the human population, it is really quite wasteful, not to mention incredibly inhumane and unnecessary. I know many people are concerned about wearing synthetic fibres, and I tell them about this fabulous new fabric I am using, a lovely dark brown imitation beaver, that it is made of 100% cotton!

Your faux furs evoke such a great, retro glamour. Who is a typical customer at Coquette Faux Furriers?
I supply a lot of bridal parties, but I think many of my customers are also stylish ladies in the rockabilly and psychobilly scenes, and swing kids. I have also supplied custom designs for burlesque performers for use in their routines. Kitten Coquette, who appears on my Web site in her one-of-a-kind stole, was my first custom order, and I also create the costumes for the BettiLu Bombshells, a local burlesque troupe.

Have you seen a change in the quality of faux fur materials available for designers like you to work with?
The quality of faux fur on the market has definitely improved in the last 10 years, as has the selection. … I keep my eyes peeled for luxurious furs in unusual colours, too, like pink and blue. … I won’t use a fabric unless it feels like the real thing or better, because I want all of my products to convince people that faux is superior to fur. It would also be nice to see more faux fur made out of natural fibres like cotton or hemp. Most of the fur I use is polyester or acrylic, but I do have one that is 100% cotton, and it’s beautiful. … it would be great if they could make it out of recycled plastic fibres, like polar fleece, which is made from recycled pop bottles.

What is your best seller? Your personal favorite?
My best seller is definitely the white muff, followed by the black muff. Brides love white, and black goes with everything, so it’s not hard to see why those are favorites. If I had to pick my favorite, it would be a tie between the leopard muff and the black fox Marlene stole. I use both all the time, because they are not only glamorous, but incredibly practical.

Have you been influenced by designers like Oleg Cassini and Marc Bouwer, who are known for their innovative work with faux fur?
I think it’s great that modern designers are incorporating faux fur into their lines, but I must admit that I am heavily influenced by the designers my grandmother grew up with, like Coco Chanel and Christian Dior. I get a lot of inspiration from old photographs and films, especially those starring Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall, both of whom have Coquette Faux Furriers products named after them. The movies “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “How to Marry a Millionaire” in particular, while not exactly feeding the feminist in me, do satisfy my stylistic cravings and have provided the blueprints for a number of my products.

What do you like best about PETA?
I love the educational aspect of PETA and think its great how they’ve helped make the subject of animal rights a household topic of conversation. Education is key, and I’m glad they are reaching youth, because I don’t think many young people are taught about how poorly we treat animals, whether it’s for food or fashion. A lot of what children learn from a young age is heavily based on information provided to schools by the marketing boards of corporations who may not always be showing the whole picture, so it’s important to have other views represented.

Anything else you’d like to share with us?
I think that as long as there are people who long for the luxuriousness of real fur, it is essential to have faux fur alternatives available, just as we need faux leather. My shoe collection would be in a sad state if there weren’t people out there like Moo Shoes and Otsu selling fabulous mock leather shoes, and I think there are many people out there still wearing real fur … because they can’t find suitable alternatives. I hope I can help people make the compassionate choice without compromising their need for glamour.

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