Item of the week: the colourful faux fur coat

What it is:

The faux fur coat often finds itself in the middle of being both a fashion statement and a political message. Formerly welcomed to the market in 1929, modern faux fur, closer to the kind we know it today, wasn’t introduced until the mid-1950s, coinciding with the creation of acrylic polymers. While faux fur’s origins were less prompted by compassion and more by a necessity for quick production methods, nowadays the material heralds itself as an animal-friendly alternative to real fur, which often is at the brunt of allegations for inhumane practices. Years on from its origin, the faux fur coat could now be considered as a staple piece for the outerwear wardrobe, as designers begin turning to the material instead of traditional animal-based options. At the currently ongoing Fashion Weeks, in particular, the faux fur coat has been spotted on multiple runways, boasting bold colour choices and exaggerated silhouettes, suggesting the piece will hold a strong presence for the AW22 season.