CATSKIN COATS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1927, Page 1

CATSKIN COATS

SECRETS OF THE TRADE. SYDNEY. June 9

A catskin coat which lias just been made up in Sydney is proof <>i the smart appearance of this apparel, 'ice average woman and those in the trade admit that the public is a notoriously poor judge of furs—would not know the coat from one comprised of tlie most costly furs. One of the biggest of Sydey’s furriers states lie recently shipped abroad 1000 catskins He says the Continent.will take as many, especially of wild catskins, as it can get. The pests of Australia arc today certainly a profit to those who are exploiting them commercially, thanks to women’s obedience to the mandates and vagaries ol the Goddess Fashion.

The world is now practically looking to Australia to supply it' requirements for furs and coats, with the much-maligned rabbit as a U-.se. I urriers are looking to the day when they will he xxporting each year not tnerelv £3.000.001) worth of raw rabbit- skins, but £10,000.000 worth of finished skins. At one of the latest ol Bydiiey’s weekly sales. 2(18 tons it rai'ihit skins were offered totalling close on 3,000.000 skins. Tn America to-day. according to Sydny lui-l-iers. they are cross-breeding rabbits to overcome the scarcity ot the pieeious Chinchilla. They arc < ded ••Chin-rabbits.” Even the poor little goats are not safe nowadays from the clutches of Fashion. Kid 'km coats. like calfskin coats, are a French notion that is being taken up in Sydney.