A big part of our company is giving back…it just feels good, you know?! This past weekend we teamed up with local students from Highlands High School English Honor Society to help an organization called Cinderella’s Closet. The organization provides formal wear to girls who could not otherwise afford to attend their prom. Our bridal store Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Bridal & Highlands  High School students donated over 200 dresses, shoes and  handbags with hopes of making young deserving ladies feel like a princess. Ruth Grothaus,  Merchandising Director here at Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs helped organize the day by providing Fabulous-Furs items as a Thank You to all the generous ladies who donated gently used social occasion gowns.  What a fun way to spend the weekend. We hope you enjoy these photos we captured.

“We’re always thrilled when Sports Illustrated calls, asking for faux fur coats and accessories for their Swimsuit photos,” says President & Founder Donna Salyers. “It began when they needed a faux fur bikini and we’ve been helping them ever since.”

“I can’t wait to see the actual issue but on TV last night, Entertainment Tonight flashed a photo of Kate Upton holding our White Mink muff. I knew it was in the enormous shipment they requested in September,” Donna explains, “and cause to celebrate because many, many designers are invited but only a few make the cut.”

The company has celebrated quite a few Sports Illustrated appearances including Brooklyn Decker wearing Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs in three full pages in 2011 and Olympic skier Lindsay Vonn in 2010. Specializing in high-end faux fur accessories, coats, jackets and throws, Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs is entering its 25th year in business. Beginning with a single product—a sewing kit to make a faux fur coat—today the company’s products are sold throughout the world via catalog and online, as well as through over 1,500 wholesale accounts including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and W Hotels.

With a showroom located at 20 W. 11th Street in Covington, KY., the Northern Kentucky-based multi-channel company, known for the world’s finest faux furs, makes about 60% of its products in its 110,000 sq. ft. facility.

For more information, contact Allison Ballinger at 859 982 0021; visit www.fabulousfurs.com or call (800) 848-4650 for a free catalog.

Images:
http://fabulousfurs.com/PR/a/5258

It began when O Creative Director Adam Glassman visited our trade show booth, mentioning he’s a fan and LOVES our stuff.

As a long-time O subscriber, I LOVE Adam! His Adam Says page is one of my favorites.  After seeing our 14259 Taupe/Grey Cascade Coat and 41677 Weekend Bag, right there on page 88 in November O, I love him more than ever!

 Meantime, Lillian recently wrapped up the International Furniture Show that occurs each spring and fall in High Point, North Carolina.  The equivalent of New York’s Fashion Week, High Point is where the World shops for the newest in high-end interiors.  We were thrilled to join all the elite interior designers and magazine editors in previewing Lillian’s collection at the famous market.  Walking wide-eyed, through one gorgeous room after another, we ooh-ed and ahh-ed over breathtakingly-gorgeous furniture and fabulous accessories in what was surely one of the most beautiful spaces in the entire upscale home furnishings market. It was a double thrill, because we’re proudly making faux fur throws for Lillian’s new line. 

With her own magazine, subtitled “Love How You Live” and with stores in downtown Manhattan, Los Angeles, Norwalk and Stamford, CT, Lillian designs for those who can afford the best. For the rest of us, it’s a real treat to have a chance to listen as this World class-designer shares her impeccable taste and offers tips for how we can love how we live.

Can’t make it to Saks on May 24? See beautiful things at:  LillianAugust.com 

I just had the opportunity to use our 2-piece luggage on a trip. I went from our Covington, Kentucky headquarters to Keystone, Colorado for our 2012 catalog photo shoot. I was so pleased with the performance of our luggage I had to take a minute to blog to you about it! I received so many compliments on the leopard pattern and shapes. From airline staff and stewardesses who see luggage every day, to strangers in the terminal and on the plane, people had to stop me and tell me they loved it! A real standout and easy to spot in baggage claim! The way it handled was FABULOUS! Both pieces moved and turned with such ease, the 360 wheels were smooth as air, the smaller piece was easy to lift into the overhead and fit perfectly. Handles were placed right where I needed them. Inside the straps and mesh covers kept everything I packed in order and unwrinkled!

Made my trip so much easier!

Hope you get a chance to try this luggage!

- Ruth G.

http://fabulousfurs.com/2-pc-leopard-luggage-set/p/91457/cn/4054/

As two of the contestants enter an opulent room at The Driskill, one of them exclaims   “Check out this fur!  How awesome does this feel?  Is it real or faux?”  Of course it was faux; it was a Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs Sable Faux Fur Throw!  How cool is THAT!  Used for the past few years in their premium rooms, a designer for The Driskill says our Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs  throws provide that unexpected element of tactile and visual pleasure.   

And if THAT ALONE didn’t make our night, in the same segment was the famous singer, Patti LaBelle, also with a Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs connection.  Appearing as a Top Chef  judge, it was a reminder of a few years back when the lovely Miss LaBelle walked out on the stage of a packed house at The Aronoff, Cincinnati’s performing arts theater, regal in her full-length Donna Salyers’ White Mink Fabulous-Fur.

Best Wishes,

Donna

Anyhow – it was a lovely honor.  Click on the link below to read the inside scoop on building Donna Salyers’ Fabulous Furs. 

http://www.bestofnky.com/NKY/Articles.aspx?issueid=1344c4a3-a190-4d3e-9ce4-5359689a569d

Best,

Donna Salyers

For the 22nd year, on Christmas Day, over 1,500 guests will enjoy a traditional dinner—turkey, dressing and all the sides. Volunteers will begin at 6 am Christmas morning, and before the day is over, nearly 450 volunteers will have escorted guests, served dinner, cleared tables and passed out gifts to children and their parents plus anyone else who shows up at the Covington, Kentucky Convention Center. Gifts include personal care items such as shampoo and deodorant, plus diapers and baby items, as well as underwear, hats gloves and coats, all of which are donated. Santa always visits with gifts and each child leaves with a toy and photo to mark the occasion.

Collecting donations, assembling, staging and wrapping begins, of course, in January when the process repeats itself. Fabulous-Furs is privileged to have helped for the past few years, donating this year nearly 4,000 coats, accessories, blankets, hats & gloves. We join many other companies, large and small, who make possible an event that represents the true spirit of the season.

We may be awash in negative news, but this season I’ve loved hearing an inordinate number of uplifting instances of generosity and random acts of kindness. Just wanted you to know that it’s because of our lovely customers that Fabulous-Furs can be generous. Without your support and loyalty, our company could be an unfortunate statistic of a struggling economy. Instead, we’re thankful for our jobs, our country’s many freedoms and the love of our families and friends. Wishing you and yours all the blessings of the season.

Best Wishes & Happy Holidays -

Donna

Faux fur jackets, coats and accessories . . . is it fur or is it faux?  While traveling from Canada back to the USA, my luggage was detained by Customs agents, certain that the faux fur coat samples spilling from my trunk were actually animal furs lacking proper country-of-origin documentation.  When I pointed to the knit backing inside each coat, the agents quickly realized their mistake and I rushed to my flight.

 On a similar but separate occasion, we were amazed to read a Boston Globe story describing a courier, delivering a full-length White Mink Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Fur to Queen Silvia of Sweden, being detained by Canadian Customs, believing the faux fur was a $20,000 animal fur lacking proper documentation.

 Faux furs are increasingly authentic and about this time each year, there’s public outrage at retailers selling animal fur, falsely labeled as faux. Retailers claiming innocence by ignorance should draw equal outrage and here’s why. 

• Faux fur consists of fibers knitted into a backing.
• Animal fur is the leather-like skin of an animal with the fur still attached. 

Cutting open a garment will quickly reveal a knitted backing when it’s faux or a suede-like skin when it’s animal fur.  No retail merchant worth his salt can be fooled.

 Consumers have a right to know what they’re buying and activists such as the HSUS have done a great job in identifying retailers who persist in falsely advertising as faux, animal fur trims and garments that are actually dog and cat fur. So what’s a consumer to do?

 Buy from trusted sources.

At Fabulous-Furs, we sew about 60% of our products in our Covington, Kentucky design workroom.  We travel abroad to meet with trusted, reputable fabric suppliers as well as those from whom we buy finished products. It’s inconceivable that a retailer sells animal fur without total awareness.     

Does it pass the sniff test? 

Animal fur may have a “wet dog” odor.

Does it pass the touch test? 

Animal fur may have a stiff base that occurs with inferior tanning.

Check the backing or underside.

Turn back the lining; a cloth-like underside means faux. A leather or suede-like underside means animal fur.

I hope this helps on future faux fur purchases! Have a question for me or a future topic you want me to write about – Leave a Comment and we’ll respond!

Best Wishes,

Donna

www.fabulousfurs.com

Just opened a lovely letter from a Fabulous-Furs customer:

 “The story that led you to start your company has always moved me. I’m a customer from way back and relate to the horror you felt and which I also feel on any trip to Chinatown,” writes this California-based customer. “I want to thank you and also share a story of how one of your products helped me.

 After a near-fatal car accident about three years ago, I had several surgeries. The final one had me sleeping in a recliner for a month, with an ice machine on my shoulder and clavicle. Finally got rid of the ice, but it was a few more months before I graduated to a real bed. The whole time I was in the chair, I wrapped up in my Coyote throw for warmth and comfort.  It turned into my teddy bear/security blanket.  If I’m under the weather, I grab the coyote throw and take a nap. Happily it washes beautifully since I’ve given it lots of use.”

 Have to say that letters such as this one give real meaning to what we do at Fabulous-Furs, day-in, day-out, year after year.  I’m proud to say our Fabulous-Furs throws are known as the World’s finest and they’re still my favorite gift.  EVERYONE wants comfort and warmth; beautiful and luxuriously soft seals the deal.

If you’re thinking about holiday shopping, here’s a special deal:  Buy one throw; get the second at 50% off Use Code E121411 at checkout.  If YOU have a Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs story, I’d love hearing from you.   Please comment below or post on my Facebook Page – Click Here

Best Wishes,

 Donna