ReMix U.S.A. Student Fur Designers

Yearly, the International Fur Federation hosts a global student fur design competition – the IFF ReMix International Student Fur Design Competition.  In the United States, industry trade organization, the Fur Information Council of America (FICA) requests and receives hundreds of applications and fur design sketches from students that currently attend or recently graduated from an accredited design school in the U.S.A.  The FICA ReMix Committee and a panel of guest judges, review design sketches for creativity and detail of mood broad inspiration.  Three students will be selected to represent the U.S.A. in the global competition.

Each U.S.A. student will be partnered with a furrier to have their sketch realized into a completed fur garment.  Pelts, lining, trimmings, closures, shop time and instruction are all gifted to the students (and they get to keep their completed fur garment!).  Once their design becomes a completed fur jacket or coat, a new application is submitted for the global competition in Italy the following spring.  From across the globe, ten students will receive an all expenses paid trip to Milan where their garment will be showcased for fashion industry designers, manufacturers, buyers, and media (including judges from Vogue Italia magazine).

Kathy Rezny (FICA ReMix Committee Chair) and the York Furrier Design Team have played a key role in the contest.  Through the decades, York Furrier has hosted numerous students in their workshop and assisted with pattern making and manufacturing fur garments.  Many of the students have gone on to compete on the global stage with several winners and runners-up.

ReMix Student Fur Designers from Chicagoland:

  • Wanda Saunders, School of the Art Institute of Chicago – Sculptured Mink & Fox Swing Coat
  • Kip Gerenda, Columbia College – Black Fox Jacket
  • Ramon Lawrence Allen Coleman, School of the Art Institute of Chicago – Pink Mink & Fox Jacket
  • Jamie Lange, School of the Art Institute of Chicago – Multi-fur Colorblock Patterned Walking Coat
  • Carolina Ramirez, Illinois Institute of Art – Schaumburg (2016/17 & 2017/18) – Finn Raccoon with Woven Leather Walking Coat/Oyster Sheared Beaver Hooded Walking Coat with Finn Raccoon and Leather Detail – both garments had matching handbags
  • Danielle Grouse, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2016/17 & 2018/19) – Natural Red Fox Cape with Detachable Matching Vest and Beaver trimmed Felt Shorts/Multi-color Mink & Red Fox Walking Coat with Fox and Leather Detail
  • Whitney Stahl, College of DuPage/SAIC (2018/19) – Emerald Green dyed Sheared Mink and Fox Jacket with matching Hat, Gloves and Tote Bag

Other fur design students that have interned with the York Furrier Design Team or participated in fashion shows or in-store seminars:  Cole Durkee (SAIC), Mateo Kingsley (SAIC), and Anna Loosli (SAIC).