How to Choose a Fur Coat: The Complete Buyer’s Guide
A fur coat is a decision you live with for decades, so it’s worth getting right. The trouble is that most first-time buyers don’t know where to start — which fur, which colour, which length, what to pay. This guide walks through all of it, the way we’d talk you through it in the showroom. Marc Kaufman Furs has made and sold fine fur in New York City’s fur district since 1870, and everything below is what actually matters when you’re choosing.
Start with the fur: the main types explained
The type of fur decides how a coat feels, wears, lasts and reads. These are the furs worth knowing:
- Mink — the benchmark, and the most popular fur for good reason: lightweight, warm, naturally water-resistant and durable for decades. The safe, timeless choice. Browse full-length mink coats.
- Sable — the most prestigious fur in the world, and the most understated: silky, feather-light and recognisable only to those who know. Quiet money. See Russian sable.
- Chinchilla — the softest, rarest fur there is, with an unmistakable silver-grey depth. The ultimate statement of quiet luxury. See chinchilla coats and jackets.
- Fox — long-haired, plush and dramatic, in a huge range of natural and dyed colours. Fox reads bold and full of presence. See fox fur coats and jackets.
- Lynx — rare, snowy-white belly fur with soft dark spotting; a true collector’s fur. See lynx.
- Rex rabbit & sheared furs — a soft, velvety, more accessible entry into real fur. See rex rabbit.
Still weighing the two most popular? Read mink vs. fox — what’s the difference, or which fur is warmest if you’re buying for real cold.
Then the colour: fur is far more than brown
One of the best-kept secrets of fine fur is how much colour is available — both natural shades and expertly dyed ones. Mink alone comes in white, black, rich mahogany, warm whiskey and the cool blue-grey of sapphire. Fox runs from natural silver to boldly dyed red and snowy white. If you want something that turns heads, explore colourful furs across every type.
Choose the style: coat, jacket, stroller, cape or vest
Length and silhouette change a fur as much as the fur itself, so pick the shape for how you’ll actually wear it.
- Full-length coat — maximum warmth and drama, the classic statement piece. See full-length coats.
- Stroller — hip to mid-thigh, the versatile everyday length. See strollers.
- Jacket — shorter and easier, great over jeans or tailoring. See mink jackets.
- Cape & knit — soft, fluid and dramatic, ideal for evening. See fur capes & knits.
- Vest — the layering piece and the easiest entry to real fur. See fur vests.
How to choose the right fur for you
Three questions settle most decisions. How cold? For serious winters, long-haired furs like fox and lynx and full-length mink give the most warmth. How visible? If you want understated, natural mink or sable; if you want to be seen, fox or a bold colour. Your first fur? Start with a mink jacket, a stroller, or a vest — versatile, wearable, and a shape you’ll reach for. You can always add a statement piece later; most collectors do.
How a fur coat should fit
Fur is cut differently from cloth. The shoulders should sit clean with no pull — that’s the one thing that can’t easily be altered, so it’s what you buy for. Allow room to layer underneath, and make sure the coat hangs straight without flaring when closed. Almost everything else — length, sleeves, the fit through the body — can be tailored by a furrier, so don’t reject a beautiful coat over a hem or a sleeve.
What does a fur coat cost?
Price comes down to four things: the fur (sable and chinchilla at the top, mink in the middle, fox and rex more accessible), the quality and hand-matching of the pelts, the workmanship — a let-out coat takes far more labour than a skin-on-skin one — and the length. Because those vary so widely, fine pieces are often sold on a consultation basis rather than a fixed sticker, which is also how you avoid overpaying for a name. Shopping value? Our fur clearance sale carries showroom samples and end-of-season pieces at up to 80% off.
Buying a fur that lasts — and caring for it
A well-made fur can last fifty years, and the difference between fifteen and fifty is care. Buy from a furrier with an in-house workroom so the coat can be altered, restyled and repaired for life rather than shipped out. Have it professionally cleaned and glazed each season and cold-stored in the off-season — here’s how to store a fur coat. And if you inherit one, don’t assume it’s dated: a furrier can restyle an old coat into something modern for a fraction of buying new.
Why buy from a furrier, not a fashion label
A fur coat should be bought from people who make it. Since 1870 we’ve selected and matched pelts in house, sized and restyled coats to the figure, and backed every purchase with the cleaning, glazing and cold-storage that keep fur beautiful for the long run. Five generations of New Yorkers — and no shortage of athletes, musicians and performers — have worn Kaufman fur, and that heritage shows in the cut and finish of every piece.
Where to start
Browse by fur — mink, sable, chinchilla, fox and lynx — or shopping for a man? See the men’s fur buying guide and men’s collection. Fur has to be tried on to be understood, so the best first step is to visit our showroom at 212 West 30th Street in New York. Or get in touch and we’ll help you find the right coat — including custom and made-to-order, sized to you.