It is incorrect to compare the fur of a Rex rabbit with that of a regular rabbit. It is more reminiscent of valuable varieties of this material - chinchilla, squirrel or beaver. From the latter comes the second name of this fur - beaver. A Rex rabbit fur coat has certain advantages and disadvantages. We will talk about them in this article.
The official name of the breed translates as king or ruler . Designer items are often created from Rex rabbit skins and used to decorate evening dresses. Fur coats made from this fur have always enjoyed a reputation as fashionable and original winter clothing.
Rex rabbit breed
The Rex rabbit breed was bred by selective breeding in 1919 in France. It is classified as a meat-hide animal, however, the quality of the fur of this animal is paramount. The breed was officially registered in 1925. At that time, its nurseries were located only in France and Germany.
They did not want to sell breeding animals to the Soviet Union. Our livestock breeders, taking rabbits of other breeds to foreign exhibitions, crossed them there with rexes. A dominant gene is responsible for the unusual fur texture. It manifests itself in all offspring of the Rex rabbit, and in the future, by crossing hybrids, a pure breed can be obtained.
Today there are about 30 subspecies within the Rex breed. The main criterion by which they are distinguished is the color and texture of the fur. The determining factor in the emergence of these subspecies was the natural conditions of the places where the nurseries were located.
In breeding, the Rex rabbit is not much different from its counterparts. But keeping animals intended for skins has its own specifics and is labor-intensive. These rabbits do not tolerate well: - high temperatures; - lack of fresh air; - high humidity.
Animals are slaughtered in winter, when the density of their fur reaches its maximum.
Features of rabbit fur
The Rex rabbit is a short-haired rabbit. A feature of its fur is the same length of guard hair and undercoat . This makes it look like velvet or sheared animal skins. The coat should be thick and wrinkle-free. Curly hairs on the skin of a Rex rabbit can only be found in the neck area. Due to the fact that only the skin from the back of the animal is used to make clothes, areas with such texture on the product indicate its low quality.
The most popular natural colors of Rex rabbit skin are: - white; — gray chinchilla; - black.
The first option is more often used for painting. Such skins are used for sewing designer fur coats and decorating clothes.
This material is soft enough that when sewing fur coats from it it would be possible to use styles characteristic of textile products. It is light and warm, which allows it to be used to create models intended for the winter season, without limiting their length.
Unlike a regular rabbit, the Rex rabbit is more wear-resistant and less prone to developing bald spots from friction.
To enhance this characteristic, the fur is additionally cut. Clothes made from such skins can withstand up to 8 seasons . The disadvantage of a Rex rabbit fur coat is that due to the lack of long guard hairs that would protect the undercoat from water, it quickly gets wet.
How much does a Rex rabbit fur coat cost?
A fur coat made from Rex fur, due to the characteristics of the material, is much more expensive than a product made from rabbit skins of other breeds. However, in comparison with chinchilla analogues, its cost is low. In determining the price range for a specific model, the following matters: - fur color; — the presence of decor from the skins of other animals; — relevance of the model.
The length of the product can add no more than 20% to the cost of a fur coat.
- A shortened model made of Rex rabbit fur of chinchilla color will cost 42-45 thousand rubles.
- An analogue made from a natural-colored material will cost about 20 thousand rubles, and a painted one – 25-30 thousand rubles.
- The classic length model can be purchased for 21 thousand rubles, and for 40-48 thousand rubles.
- The highest price segment includes products complemented by a hood.
- A product below the knees will cost about 50 thousand rubles.
- A medium-length Rex rabbit fur coat with fox or silver fox fur decoration will cost the same amount.
Features of rabbit fur
The skins of this animal are the most common and inexpensive material for making fur clothing. Due to its unpretentiousness and rapid population reproduction, this domestic animal is popular in livestock farming. The density and quality of the rabbit's fur depends on the season. Their breeds that are bred for their fur include :
- Russian ermine; - chinchilla; - Vienna blue; - black-brown; - river; - white giant (occasionally gray giant skins are used for sewing clothes).
The color palette of the animal’s natural colors is varied. There are skins with a spotted pattern. The texture of the fur is silky. The guard hair of a rabbit is quite soft, the undercoat resembles fluff. Rex animals have fur with the same length of pile and undercoat. One of the features of rabbit fur is its light weight.
How to sew women's fur coats from rabbit
The advantage of a rabbit fur coat is its texture and light weight . Due to the fact that the skins are light, they are also used to create laces. To do this, the pile is removed, the skin is cut into strips and attached to a synthetic thread or knitted base. Subsequently, decorative elements for a rabbit fur coat are made from them using the knitting method.
To make the pile resemble velvet, the pile is cut to the length of the undercoat. Skins are often dyed in a variety of bright colors, or to match the color of other more valuable fur. Thanks to this, rabbit fur coats can be bright and have rich, rich colors.
It is quite difficult to visually distinguish a “mink” fur coat made from rabbit skins from real mink. To guess that it was made from a dyed rabbit, you need to touch the skins themselves - they will be much softer. Possible painting to resemble beaver, sable, leopard.
Fashionable models of fur coats from Rex
The original texture of this fur, as well as its relatively low cost, makes it an ideal material for creating designer products. Youth versions of fur coats are often made from Rex rabbit skins.
The most popular products are short-length, straight-cut, made from dyed skins.
Bright colors dominate here and geometric prints are possible . You can find products decorated with patterns, or details made of genuine leather and textiles. Models with a hood are also popular.
Also, analogues of fur coats from more valuable breeds of fur are made from Rex rabbit skins. Due to the fact that this material is visually indistinguishable from chinchilla, products are made from it that replicate fashionable models of expensive clothing.
Often, original elegant fur coats are created from the Rex rabbit. Here you can often find decor in the form of a hood-collar complemented with fox, silver fox or arctic fox fur, the natural color of which is preserved.
The autolady style is very popular - a short, fitted silhouette. The model may have a hood. A fashionable trend is to sew it from fur, which differs in color from the entire product.
Fashionable looks for winter 2021-2022
A Rex rabbit fur coat will perfectly complement both everyday and festive outfits. If the model is classic, then it is suitable for creating a retro style look. A fur coat with a straight silhouette and a geometric print will also go well with it. As accessories you can use a hat with a veil, a handbag made of genuine leather.
It is better to refuse costume jewelry, giving preference to jewelry made of precious metals.
The autolady fur coat model, as well as youth and chinchilla variations, will perfectly complement punk, casual, or folk looks. The first and last options can be complemented with catchy jewelry made of metal or natural materials, or a wide leather belt.
Original shoes and hats will highlight your chosen style. In the first option, preference should be given to a sporty or avant-garde option with an abundance of decor.
The third involves a fur or knitted hat and ugg boots. A casual look requires a minimum of flashy accessories.
Advantages and disadvantages of rabbit fur coats
Rabbit fur, despite its light texture, is quite warm. Its disadvantage is its fragility. It is sensitive to mechanical stress - it quickly wears out and breaks. A rabbit fur coat will look presentable for no more than 5 seasons.
With a relatively low cost of the product, this can be an ideal clothing option for a teenager, or something that corresponds to the latest fashion trends, but will become obsolete in a year or two.
Due to the fact that the rabbit's guard pile is sparse and soft, its fur quickly gets wet. Considering that during mending the pile can be completely cut off or removed, a fur coat made from the skins of this animal is not suitable for wet weather.
Among the benefits of rabbit fur is that it is easy to care for. Some types of dirt on a rabbit's coat can be removed at home. Products made from this fur practically do not wrinkle.
Fashion trends 2021-2022
Fashion shows of each season are rich in rabbit fur coats, made of short-pile fur, dyed in unusual colors and complemented by prints. These are the models of rabbit fur coats that were presented on the catwalks of Gucci, Jeremy Scott and Just Cavalli.
The fashion house Valentino proposed to complement the product with an appliqué made of textiles. These fur coats should resemble an avant-garde style coat. Their accessories include classic shoes and handbags, or hippie-style backpacks.
Designers Vera Wang, Fendi, Paul Joe, Dennis Basso this season presented fur coats made from different types of fur. The cut of the products was classic, the skins were dyed exclusively in natural and similar tones. The material for their products was sewn together shreds with different textures, colors and lengths of fur. To complement the rabbit fur coat, designers offer wide leather belts and clutches in a minimalist style.
How to choose a quality Rex fur coat
When choosing a Rex rabbit fur coat, you need to inspect the product for the same type of fur. It should not have differences in the length of the pile, areas with wavy hair, and areas where the skin can be seen or easily felt.
If there are defects, they are most often located in the area of seams and folds, so these places should be inspected with special attention.
To make sure that it is a rex and not a shorn rabbit, you need to crush the fur a little. It should return to its original state as soon as the pressure on it stops.
If a future purchase is to replace a chinchilla fur coat in your wardrobe, then the first thing you should make sure is whether the color of the rabbit skins is natural. To do this, you should carefully examine the fur to look for areas that are colored incorrectly. If the fur coat is decorated with the skins of other animals, these elements also need to be checked for defects and the quality of painting.
Price
The price of a rabbit fur coat depends on the relevance of the model and the decoration of the product with the skins of other animals. Length affects cost, but not as significantly as design. Also, a lot depends on the place where the purchase will be made.
In the markets, as well as through an online store, you can buy a rabbit fur coat much cheaper than in a store offering this season’s branded products.
- A medium-length fur coat with a hood, made in the Art Nouveau style and complemented with mink fur, can cost 45 thousand rubles.
- A similar product without finishing will cost 10-15 thousand rubles.
- A model of the same length with a muskrat collar costs 30 thousand rubles.
- A short fur coat (short fur coat) can be purchased at a price of 8 to 15 thousand rubles.
- The presence of decor will increase the cost of the product by 5 thousand rubles.
- A long fur coat made of rabbit fur of a classic cut will cost 15 thousand rubles.
Rabbit fur coat with drawstring
You can buy a rabbit fur coat only at a retail outlet that offers products with guaranteed quality. Due to the fact that breeding of these animals is very popular, there is a risk of purchasing a handicraft item made from poorly cured skins. Even if you have no plans to wear a fur coat for several seasons, you should not give in to quality requirements . This threatens that the clothes will become unusable a month later.
When inspecting the product, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:
- uniform fur density (a rabbit has good fur only on its back); — quality of painting, if the fur is dyed; - seams and no folds.
To make sure that the fur is dyed correctly, you can simply wrinkle it with your fingers. No paint should remain on your hand. All seams should be inspected carefully. The soft texture of the fur can hide sewing defects.
Reviews from owners
Rex rabbit fur coats of chinchilla color receive most of the flattering reviews. In terms of protection from the cold, they are not inferior to their chinchilla counterparts, they look no worse, and are much cheaper.
To take full advantage of the latter advantage, buyers prefer domestically produced fur coats sold directly from clothing factories. The only thing that many do not take into account is the lack of resistance of this material to moisture.
No less popular than chinchilla options are custom-cut Rex rabbit fur coats. The lightness of the material allows owners of maxi-length products not to feel the weight of the clothing.
Often the choice is made between the Rex rabbit option and the mink one, taking into account the price and practicality of the purchase.
As for the durability of the product, many buyers claim that with proper care, a fur coat can withstand at least 10 seasons. [Total: 7 Average: 3.9/5]