In 2005, Kopenhagen Fur established the creative workshop Kopenhagen Studio. At Kopenhagen Studio, furriers, designers and students have an opportunity to explore and develop ideas and techniques for using fur. Kopenhagen Studio was founded with the objective of providing better support for fur design and innovation within fur use. To this end, some of the world’s most prestigious and established designers, representatives from other creative industries and up-and-coming talents are invited to work with Kopenhagen Studio’s skilled in-house furriers. Through these collaborations, designers get better insights into fur and find new, creative ways of using this exciting material. To further support innovation, Kopenhagen Studio also cooperates with the world’s leading design schools in training young designers and showing them the many possibilities of fur. These collaborations challenge the traditional perceptions of what can be made out of fur. The development of new techniques means that fur is now found in haute couture, prêt-à-porter and street fashion. In addition to Kopenhagen Fur’s workshop in Copenhagen, there is also a workshop in Beijing. Since the beginning both workshops have had remarkable results. Students from Tsinghua Kopenhagen Studio have won an impressive number of design prizes, while the results of the design collaborations from the workshop in Copenhagen can be seen at the international fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris.
www.kopenhagenfur.com
Fur Techniques by Kopenhagen Fur 2016 • 2017
Fur Techniques by Kopenhagen Fur 2016 • 2017
At Kopenhagen Fur’s workshop, Kopenhagen Studio, our creative furriers work each day to challenge the traditional perceptions of what is possible to make out of fur. In addition to the luxurious feel and the obvious qualities of providing warmth, fur is a very versatile material to work with. The possibilities are almost endless and it is tempting to say that the only limit is the imagination. With this catalogue of step-by-step techniques, we give you Kopenhagen Fur’s take on how current trends in the world can be interpreted into new fur techniques. You will find a variety of techniques; some suitable for full fur styles, some suitable for accessories and some suitable for combining fur with other materials. As the core of our daily work, all techniques were developed with a strong focus on craftsmanship and detail.
toffee
For this intarsia technique, you need at least three different types of skins, although preferably more than three to create a beautiful variety of colours. The technique is quite time consuming and it requires a lot of experience with a fur machine, but it creates stunning results.
1.
Prepare three or four different types of fur; the types should be the same sex, size and hair length. Draw vertical stripes of different widths, such as 0,5 cm, 1 cm and 1,5 cm.
2. Cut out all the stripes.
3. Mix the strips. Make sure the center strips are placed together and the side strips are placed together, based on the hair length.
4. Sew all the strips together.
5. Moisten the leather side with water.
6. Nail the skins to a board to straighten the lines and the skin.
7. Take the fur fabric off the board. Steam and brush the finished technique.
8. The finished technique.
cookies and cream
This technique gives styles a lot of volume, which should be taken into consideration when designing the garment. The mink stripes appear both shiny and matte because the hair direction changes on every second stripe. This technique gives you a lot of opportunities to play with the tones and lights of a specific colour.
1. Draw 2,5 cm stripes on the back of the skin, cut the strips and change the hair direction on every second strip.
3. Cut 5 mm strips in another color using the cutting machine or by hand.
2. Sew the strips together on the fur machine.
4. Mark the placement of the 5 mm stripes. Make notches connecting each side of the line. Cut it open and sew in the 5 mm strip.
5. Make a cut through the 5 mm strip. Move one piece a bit to get a staggered pattern and sew it together again.
7. Cut 1 cm leather strips. Make a cut across the skin for every 10 cm and sew in the leather strips.
6. Nail the fur fabric to a board to make the 2,5 stripes straight.
8. Place the puffer pillow on the back of the fur and stitch it together along the leather strips, using the leather machine.
9. The finished technique.
chocolate chip
This technique requires at least three different types of mink to get the right effect. The technique is highly suitable for accessories, and it gives a masculine touch to any style.
1. Chose three or four different types of mink. You can work with male or female skins, but you should be aware of the hair length and size. Decide on the size of the stripes and draw the vertical lines accordingly.
3. Start cutting.
2. Draw horizontal lines of different widths. Make sure they match in pairs – two pieces of different colours with same hair lengths in each pair.
4. Mix the strips in pairs.
5. Sew all the strips together with a fur machine.
6. Line up the strips and decide on the finished pattern.
7. Sew all the strips together to finish the fur fabric.
8. Moisten and nail the fur fabric on a board to get the lines straight. When the fur fabric is dry, take it off the board to steam and brush it.
9. The finished technique.
mint swirl
With this technique, you can get a large fur fabric using a small amount of skin. The fabric used in this technique is light and thin, which makes it suitable for summer styles. The fur pattern looks beautiful on a large surface and makes any style light and elegant. 2. Add bonding glue to the back of the mink skin by using the heat press.
1. Choose an open fabric. Make sure you can weave fur strips into it.
3. Draw and cut 10 mm and 5 mm mink strips following the hair direction. Mix with leather strips to add character to the sample.
4. Weave the strips into the fabric.
5. Underline the fabric with another woven material.
6. Baste the mink strips and the two fabrics together by hand.
7. Reheat the bonding glue in the heat press to attach the strips to the top and background fabric.
8. The finished technique.
minty way
This very simple technique can be created with a regular textile sewing machine; however, the preparation takes some time and focus. You can experiment with different combinations of fur, fabrics and colours to customize the technique to individual designs. With this technique, you can get a large piece of fur fabric using a small amount of skin.
1. Mark the pattern on the fabric.
2. Cut a mink skin into 5 mm vertical strips (along the hair direction). Cut another mink skin into 5 mm horizontal strips (across the hair direction).
3. Sew the short horizontal cut strips onto the fabric with a normal stitching machine, placing the cuts where the crossing strips will be placed.
4. Sew the long vertical strips onto the fabric, to make the tartan pattern. Use long stitches.
5. Give the hair and wool a harsh brushing to create a nice look.
6. Stitch 5 mm strips of shaved mink onto the fabric; place them on the bias of the tartan pattern. Steam the fur.
7. The finished technique.
creme brÛlée
This light, airy technique is reversible. The light, lively use of fur makes this technique perfect for designing scarfs or loose cardigans that look like they’ve been knitted.
1. Draw 1 cm vertical stripes on the skin side, following the hair direction.
2. Draw horizontal lines across the skin, keeping 1 cm to 2,5 cm between the stripes for every second line.
3. Cut every second vertical line so you end up with 2 cm strips.
4. Cut vertical slits of 6 cm in the middle of the 2 cm stripes, keeping 1 cm between the slits.
5. Twist the outer edge of the fur strip into the middle of the slit and sew it together from the skin side at the 1 cm mark.
6. When all the strips are twisted, turn every second strip upside down and sew them together at the 1 cm notches.
7. The finished technique.
beurre salĂŠ
This simple intarsia technique provides a variety of possibilities. Sewing this particular pattern requires some focus and experience since the strips are thin and uneven. However, the results are worth the effort because the technique creates a beautiful surface and a unique pattern. 1. Draw the pattern on the leather side of two different types of mink.
3. To make the intarsia pattern, mix the two skins. Every second stripe in the pattern must change colour.
2. Cut the two skins following the pattern.
4. Sew the fur strips together using a fur machine.
5. Press the seams flat using the back of the knife.
In 2005, Kopenhagen Fur established the creative workshop Kopenhagen Studio. At Kopenhagen Studio, furriers, designers and students have an opportunity to explore and develop ideas and techniques for using fur. Kopenhagen Studio was founded with the objective of providing better support for fur design and innovation within fur use. To this end, some of the world’s most prestigious and established designers, representatives from other creative industries and up-and-coming talents are invited to work with Kopenhagen Studio’s skilled in-house furriers. Through these collaborations, designers get better insights into fur and find new, creative ways of using this exciting material. To further support innovation, Kopenhagen Studio also cooperates with the world’s leading design schools in training young designers and showing them the many possibilities of fur. These collaborations challenge the traditional perceptions of what can be made out of fur. The development of new techniques means that fur is now found in haute couture, prêt-à-porter and street fashion. In addition to Kopenhagen Fur’s workshop in Copenhagen, there is also a workshop in Beijing. Since the beginning both workshops have had remarkable results. Students from Tsinghua Kopenhagen Studio have won an impressive number of design prizes, while the results of the design collaborations from the workshop in Copenhagen can be seen at the international fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris.
www.kopenhagenfur.com
Fur Techniques by Kopenhagen Fur 2016 • 2017
6. Moisten the leather side of the mink using a brush and some water.
7. Nail the skin onto a board.
8. The finished technique.