Jonevon Fur's John Petkanas...

On Quality

“When buying skins? I look for the best! I look for silkiness in texture of the hair and for a follicle that hasn’t been damaged in the tanning process, in part because when you’re dyeing a skin you want it to be dyed as evenly as possible.”

On Mink

"Mink is really the fur of choice; it is so easy to wear and maintain. It's also the most abundant skin available because 95% of mink is farm-raise."

On Chinchilla

"The lure of chinchilla is all based on its beautiful texture. It’s so soft; it’s like putting your hand in bowl of flour. But, you can’t be hard on chinchilla.The size of the skin is very small with a delicate leather that requires strengthening (a backing) in order to make it wearable."

On Sable

“I love working with sable; it’s very light -- feather weight -- and easy to wear. That's a big preference for clients in choosing sable skins. Also, scarcity plays a large role in their price. Wild, trapped sables demand more per skin because of their scarcity and the more silvery the hairs in a sable, the more expensive the skin, and thus, the final garment.”

On Color

“Younger more fashion-forward clients love colorful furs. We custom dye our skins locally and we pride ourselves on being able to capture any color. Some customers have even come-in with a color card from Home Depot and asked us to dye their skins to match.”

On Style

"We help clients create furs that match their lifestyle -- and, it’s very personal. But, there are larger trends to take into account. The long coat to the ankle -- that’s history! It’s just not practical anymore. An everyday coat -- possibility reversible -- that is short and easy to get in and out of a car is popular. Younger, trendier clients go for casual glamour -- something waist-length, easy to wear, like a vest or a sheared mink jacket. A client in the market for a second or third coat looks for something that’s different -- something that pops! -- like mink with sable or chinchilla, with a unique accent color on the collar and cuffs."

On Finding Your Perfect Fur

"Before I talk about skins with a client, I want to know a few things. What’s the purpose of the piece? Is the coat for a special occasion or is it for daily wear? Is it for evening? Once I under those things, and your budget, I can recommend what fur would best meet your needs."