Fur Vision 22: Mr. Meng Xiangze and the versatility of fox fur

When preparing for Fur Vision 22 we decided to partner for a second time with Chinese manufacturer Mr. Meng Xiangze. He was born in fur family and as he puts it “fur is not only the way to support his living, but it is in his blood to love the material”. In this small interview we give you a chance to learn more about the manufacturer and his view on the future of fur.

 

Could you tell a little about the history behind you and your company?

My parents are fur trimming manufacturer in China, but somehow, personally, I don’t like fur trimming, as to me trimming doesn’t need technique and it’s too easy to copy. Which means that you can only compete with your pricing policy. I prefer to make garments, as I really love to see how a piece of fur becomes a finished garment with the help of skilful craftsmanship. And this is why I established my own factory in the first place. It was year 2012 and at that time, I only had one employee in my factory. Later I went abroad to attend some fairs, to learn more about fashion and different styles…and now I have a factory with over 100 emplyees and we produce 40,000 garments per year.

 

What kind of manufacturing do you mostly do?

Mostly we do fox knitting garments (see pictures as example). Back in 2012 I started with fox knitting garments and still today it takes up most of my orders.

Why you choose to work with Saga Furs and how did you find the collaboration for this years’ Fur Vision collection?

The majority of my products are made of fox pelts. I request high quality materials and beautiful techniques for my garments, in order to meet middle and high-end consumer needs. Saga Furs provide the best fur techniques and the best fox pelts in the world, which also meets our company’s core concept. Moreover, working with natural fur and Saga Furs in particular, also means responsibility for me. And this year is a second year for me to work with Saga Furs Fur Vision samples.

 

What has been your most memorable experience from the Saga Furs and what is your favourite Saga technique?

I always remember the first time I went to Saga Furs fur auction and the auction room for biding. It was the first time I saw how pelts are sold through auctions and I was fascinated. In regard to fur technique, I like Cutting stripe technique. This technique makes fox fur so versatile! It provides various combining possibilities in terms of colour, material, different guard hair length etc…and every time you get completely new and fresh look. Cutting stripe technique is like a puzzle, giving you always amazing results. No wonder my clients like it so much!

 

Please tell me about the best collaboration you have done and why you chose it? 

Challenge. The best part about collaborations overall is the happiness after crossing a challenge! Saga techniques request high understanding of fur, and it is complicated. Every time we make a technique sample for Fur Vision for example we face a problem, but after we have solved it and the sample is ready, we learn a lot. This helps me to utilize these learnings also in my own products and it gives me lots of inspiration for my own collections.

 

In your opinion, did anything good came out from Covid-19?

For me yes, because Covid-19 narrowed the gap between me as a new brand and old fur brand. Due to covid situation, many manufacturers didn’t invest in research and development, as well as they also decreased their production. I however continued with research and development of the new products just like before, or actually, I even invested more on the new collection development, so I got great feedback and my orders increased compared to the time before Covid-19.

 

How do you see fur in the future and what are your wishes and plans?

The future of fur – Combining fur with different materials! My plans…I will continue building my own brand and enhance domestic market share. After Covid, I plan to continue to attend fashion fair in Europe, but not only focus on the fur alone, but also on other materials and garments such as outdoor garments and adding fur elements on them. I also plan to split production line as an answer to different customer needs. I will continue with high-quality products, top quality materials and new designs.

 

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