Fur
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 1995:
Minneapolis furrier Robert
Zicari recently told Fur Age Weekly read-
ers that he’s trying to get licensing rights
from Walt Disney to promote fur goods bear-
ing the image of Snow White, and “Their
response was not altogether negative. We
have a chance if we put the cost up front.”
Linking Disney to fur would be an unlikely
coup; the 1959 Disney film 101 Dalmatians,
about Cruella DeVil’s attempt to make a
dog-fur coat, preceded a fur sales crash, and
the 1991 re-release of the film in home video
format also coincided with a skid. More is
ahead: Walt Disney Pictures on May 9 hired
Stephen Herek to direct a live edition of 101
Dalmatians, to be produced by John Hughes
and Ricardo Mestres, probably starring
Glenn Close as Cruella. Filming begins in
October. Thank Walt Disney Co. for its his-
torical role in promoting kindness toward
animals and urge it keep high standards at
500 Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521.
The Fur Information Council of
A m e r i c a has acknowledged that retail fur
sales fell in 1994 despite a year-long barrage
of publicity claiming recovery and growth.
Figures compiled for FICA by the polling
firm Southwick Associates, show 1994 sales
of $1.1 billion, the same as in 1992––and in
1983, but adjusted for inflation, sales were
actually at half the 1983 level. Fur sales
peaked at $1.8 billion in 1987.
Evans Inc., still claiming close to
10% of the U.S. retail fur market, missed
a bank payment on February 24 and was
rumored to be close to bankruptcy after clos-
ing its New York outlet on March 17, fol-
lowed by closures of other outlets in San
Antonio, Fort Worth, and Merrillville,
Illinois. Evans lost $7.7 million during the
first 39 weeks of fiscal year 1994-95.
Earth 2000 has called a boycott
of the Lerner New York apparel chain
after Lerner responded to a request that it
drop fur with an April 12 letter stating, “Our
concerns tend to be concentrated on fashion
elements and not as focused on animal rights
issues.”
