A few weeks ago I sat on a terrace over looking a beautiful sea port town in the west of Italy. Given that it was December, the weather was spring like, with bright sunshine and a chilly breeze. The port of cobbled streets, winding lanes, large fishing vessels and huge yachts is where you can see men fishing on the harbour front.
Imagine then, when during an evening passeggiata (slow stroll) I passed a woman who was fishing in her fur coat. I have to say that I couldn’t believe my eyes. But this was not the first time that I had seen a fur coat in an unusual setting. The previous year, a woman caught my eye on the feniglia (beach) as she walked along the seven kilometer stretch of soft, deep sand in her ankle-length black, silky fur coat on Christmas day. She sauntered with not a care in the world and was clearly showing off her new present. I have to say she wore her expensive gift well.
Artwork by Paige Fergusson
So I guess, seeing a fur coat and a fishing rod together should not have surprised me. But it did! I couldn’t take a photograph and so preposterous was the image in front of me, that I didn’t even ask if I could. I blinked several times to confirm that what I was seeing was reality. In that instance I created a film in my head of why she was fishing in her fur coat at 8pm. Maybe she was holding the fishing rod for a man (perish the thought) or she was being filmed (unlikely) or maybe she was fishing in the warmest garment that she had (really?). Actually, I think she was making a statement. And why not? Well, in issue 2 of our Semple magazine we examine the pro’s and con’s of fur and if you haven’t read the article you can find it on our website.
So to the ladies of Italy I say, only you can get away with wearing your fur coats whenever you want to in any environment. You do it with style, grace and sheer audacity! Brava I say to you all.
By Maggie