Fashion trumps compassion as fur makes a comeback
By SHELLEY EMLING The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

New York -- Jennifer Lopez is wearing it. So is Madonna. Supermodel Naomi Campbell once swore she'd never wear it, but even she has swapped sides.

Fur. Whether it's falling to the floor, wrapped around one's neck, or lining a trendy denim jacket, fur is making a comeback, say fashion experts.

Last year more than 300 designers -- many of whom had deserted fur only a few years ago -- included it in their fall collections.

It's enough to make the animal-rights activists who were so successful at quashing sales in the 1990s jump out of their skin.

"It's not just a matter of seeing thousands of mink coats on the street," said Keith Kaplan, executive director of the Fur Information Council of America. "Today you're finding furs in trendy styles from hip-hop to hippie chic."

Fur sales totaled $1.53 billion in 2001, and the figures for 2002 are expected to be up by 8 to 10 percent, according to the council, which represents manufacturers and retailers nationwide.

The year 2000 was particularly strong, boasting sales of $1.69 billion, a sharp climb from $1 billion in 1991.

The council blames the dip in 2001 on the economy, the terrorist attacks, and an unseasonably warm winter.

But this winter is a different story.

At Neiman Marcus, fur sales are showing double-digit growth this year over last year, said the store's fashion director, Joan Kaner. The freezing temperatures that have gripped much of the nation have added momentum to sales.

But the trend also has been fueled by the industry's burgeoning efforts to be more creative in order to appeal to a broader -- and especially younger -- clientele.

"We believe fur is becoming less and less popular and that the fur trade is playing around with the numbers to make sales figures appear higher," said Lisa Franzetta, PETA's campaign coordinator.

She said the cost of storing fur coats in temperature-controlled facilities is being included in sales totals, a charge denied by the fur industry.

Franzetta said an increasing number of designers such as Stella McCartney are using faux fur, so that it might appear that more people on the streets are wearing real fur when in actuality they're not.

"We believe people are still apprehensive about going outside with a bunch of corpses hanging off their backs," she said. Read more

By THOMAS WHITAKER and TRACEY KANDOHLA, THE SUN

Movie hunk Jude Law and wife Sadie Frost are living under separate roofs less than half a mile apart.

Sadie — who has been suffering post-natal depression — is staying in the couple’s new £2million house with their three children. But Jude is at their old £1million house just three roads away.

A pal of the couple said last night: “This speaks volumes about the state of their marriage. Publicly they are saying their marriage is rock solid. But behind the scenes there are serious problems which are appearing irretrievable.

“Sadie is going through the worst spell in her life. She has been in hospital for days and is desperately unhappy.”

The couple’s old house in Primrose Hill, North London, is stripped of furniture and so empty that Jude, 30, had to pop out yesterday for a takeaway coffee.

A neighbour said: “There isn’t even a kettle in the house. We thought we wouldn’t see Jude back here again.”

Road to Perdition star Jude and Sadie, 37, have tried to put on a public show of unity. On Tuesday morning they grinned for photos with the children.

But within two hours Jude left. He spent the night at their old house and returned to Sadie’s at 7am yesterday.

Jude — who only arrived back in Britain from America four days ago — left again three hours later without comment.

He has angrily denied rumours he cheated on Sadie with film star Nicole Kidman, 35, his co-star in new film Cold Mountain.

Asked about their marriage problems yesterday, Dracula star Sadie insisted: “At the moment they are fine.”

She has told friends she is not giving Jude up “without a fight.” But Jude is alleged to have told her their five-year marriage is over.

A pal said: “They need some space. Things have been very heated. It was better to spend the night apart.”

Sadie has been comforted by phone calls from film star pal Gwyneth Paltrow. The Sun told last week how Sadie needed treatment after marking her arms in “a cry for help”.

Sadie’s brother Toby Vaughan, 21, of Manchester said: “I really hope they can work things out. They both think the world of the kids and that might keep them together.”

She and Jude have a five-month-old son Rudy, daughter Iris, two, and seven-year-old son Rafferty. Sadie also has a son Finlay, 12, by her first hubby, Spandau Ballet pop star Gary Kemp.