Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Faras.
Hi Ali, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been pretty creative, mainly for fun but sometimes as a necessity. When I was 19 I was living in Steamboat Springs, CO and there were very limited shopping options and even fewer that a 19-year-old could afford! BUT…. the local Walmart sold fabric! I asked my mom to send me a sewing machine and from there proceeded to whip up adorable but at the time, not the most durable outfits. They looked high end and I loved that everything was one of a kind. My love for creating things continued from there.
Several years ago my then 14-year-old daughter sent me a cute furry backpack she was hoping to get for school, I assumed it was fake fur but quickly realized when I clicked on the link it was real and came along with a 4k price tag! I told her I could replicate it in fake fur instead. Several weeks later I was reading an article about how fake fur takes centuries to biodegrade, this got me thinking… While I personally do not condone buying new fur, I also feel that it’s a shame that so many fur coats are now just sitting in a closet disintegrating. I respect that different era’s relied on resources that many in today’s society would not deem appropriate.
I am a huge proponent of repurposing and started thinking about how wasteful it is that these beautiful fur coats are now just going to waste. Plus many fur coats are heirlooms, and all the women in the family fight over who gets it but yet most then just sit in a closet unworn. I quickly purchased a fox fur coat off FaceBook Marketplace for $40 and created a fabulous 100% repurposed backpack for my daughter. From there Vintage COATURE took off, creating heirloom bags for many families, that plus one-of-a-kind bags for those that love repurposed luxury goods!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Little did I know, you can’t just cut up fur and sew a bag! I have become a bit of a furrier throughout the process of learning how to recondition pelts, glaze fur, etc. It took me purchasing new 3 sewing machines before I found one that could do all I needed it to do!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I create luxury handbags out of vintage fur coats. 99% of what I do are custom orders for families that are looking to create multiple heirloom bags out of a family member’s fur coat. Besides the hardware, everything I use is repurposed. The liners of the bag are often a hidden gem, I have used everything from grandma’s wedding dress, to mom’s silk scarves to dad’s favorite shirt! The more sentimental the better! I recently restyled one full-length mink coat into TWELVE bags, one for all of the owners’ daughters and granddaughters- it was beyond special.
In addition to the heirloom bags I do make fur bags for those that just appreciate repurposed luxury goodness, I often make these out of leftover scraps or fur coats I pick up here and there.
Each bag is one of a kind and every coat has its own story to tell, I love seeing the initials on the inside of the coat and wondering who it belonged to or how they came to have it.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Vintage COATURE is my passion project and creative outlet. I work FT and lead Sales & Strategy for Business Development at a Marketing Technology company.
Between my “real gig” and Vintage COATURE, sometimes my weeknights and weekends are consumed and my family has to deal with my chaos and bag-making perfectionism. They are my biggest supporters, along with a gaggle of girlfriends that have become the best real-life walking marketing team one could ever ask for!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @vintageCOATUREusa
- Facebook: Vintage Coature
