Mink
Mink, fur that will remain, in the history of costume, as the symbol of the economic recovery of the roaring 50s, as the tangible sign of social climbing, as the precious object of every woman’s desires
From the cinema screens Hollywood invited to dream with Elizabeth Taylor, Venus in mink from 1960, and with Doris Day, The mink on her skin from ’62.
In reality, celebrities and personalities such as Clara Booth Luce, ambassador of the United States in Rome, wore it. Also Queen Elizabeth II of England and Maria Callas. Together with a Brigitte Bardot not yet devoted to the animal rights cause, and even, in the version of a long, Spanish-style black cape, Salvador Dalí. It was, and would continue to be, the fur par excellence, unchallenged ruler, absolute queen. And king of lakes and rivers is the mink. It is distinguished in the two Latin names of Mustela vison (American) and Mustela lutreola (European), and widespread in North America and in northern Europe and Asia.
Thick and soft fur:
It has thick, soft and shiny fur, and elastic and resistant leather. The classic type has a dark brown coat, called “standard” or “wild”, or even, more poetically and with clear reference to the North American one, “of the great lakes”. It can be raised in all countries that have a cold, humid climate and are rich in water, because each animal requires from 200 to 400 liters a year.
The mink today:
Today the vast majority of mink comes from breeding. The first experiments, by the Americans, are dated around the mid-1800s. While in Europe the start was given by the Scandinavians at the time of the economic crisis of the ’30s. This is how the innumerable mutations of the hair were born. Strictly natural color varieties different from the standard, ranging from white to black and for which each brand — American Legend, Blackglama (only black), American Ultra, Canada Majestic, Nafa, Black Nafa — has its own denominations.
They offer wonderful material to the creativity of fur stylists who in recent years, well supported by the revolutionary inventions of the tannery, have dyed mink, made it reversible, shaved, epilated, trimmed, napped, sueded, perforated, backed, frosted. Docile and majestic, he let it be, sure of retaining his royalty.
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