Traeger Furs in Skokie: Changing Fashions and Old School Service

Here at Ageless North Shore we favor the counter-intuitive approach to stories. Why else would we feature Traeger Furs now that spring is upon us? And why feature a furrier at all? Doesn’t that play into the North Shore stereotypes that Ageless often debunks?

Well, as our good friend Walt Whitman used to say; “Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes.”

Barry Traeger

Barry Traeger’s family-owned business has been in Skokie for 40 years. Before that, Traeger Furs plied their trade at 190 N. State, the historic State/Lake building in Chicago. Back in the day, 190 N. State was a hub for small shops who saw customers by appointment only. As the customer base moved to the suburbs, Traeger Furs joined in the migration.

So Barry and I sat down last Friday afternoon at his show room on Lincoln Ave. We spoke about Skokie’s redevelopment and the Independent Merchants of Downtown Skokie (IMODS). Barry suggested that I meet with Howard Meyer, executive director of the Skokie Chamber of Commerce and Randy Miles, owner of the Village Inn. Click here for that post.

Traeger wanted to talk about fur. Or as he told me, “the fur fair this May in Montreal is now called the Luxury Outer Wear Show.” Traeger embraces the “New Attitude” which is the theme for the 2010  North American Fur & Fashion Exposition in Montreal (NAFFEM).

The selection at Traeger Furs reflects the changing styles and lifestyles of their customers. In most suburbs, where you are in and out of your car all the time, you are naturally going to favor a jacket or mid-length over a full length coat. But if you live in the city or a more walker-friendly suburb, Traeger has elegant full length coats for you as well.

Sheared Beaver Jacket designed by Jean Crisan

And then there is weight. Long hair raccoon, fox, and beaver coats are not as fashionable as they once were. They are just too heavy in today’s slender world. In fact, capes and ponchos are a big part of the product mix in the more casual 21st century.

Today, the buzz word is shear…as in sheared mink and shearling.

Sheared mink has a sleek look while maintaining the shiny appearance and luster of the long haired coats. And as importantly, the sheared mink maintains the warmth in winter that has traditionally been the attraction of the fur coat.

Shearling has become a very popular alternative to mink and sable. The lightweight lambskin has the look of leather but is softer and much lighter weight.

Traeger Furs carries the unique knit designs of Paula Lishman. Through a patented process Lishman transforms strips of fur into fur yarn. Lishman’s collection includes strollers, full length coats, shawls, blankets, jackets and other accessories.

Woven Fur Jacket by Paula Lishman

By nature and by design, the world of fashion is one of change and innovation. But Traeger Furs maintains the lessons learned at 190 N. State. Early on, Arnold Traeger, company’s founder took advantage of the larger space available in Skokie and built a cold storage vault  And I can attest that they are cold and spacious. Your furs will spend a comfortable and rejuvenating summer in their humidity controlled facility.

Repairs, reconditioning and even restyling are done on site. Barry told me about a full length mink coat that their designers refashioned into a shorter length coat. And then used the extra fur for a detachable hood. Doesn’t a fur hood sound cozy?

Lazaros Kapetanou, master furrier

The official End of the Season Sale runs through March 13. There are some serious savings for real, North American, luxury outerwear. For women and men.

Any Ageless North Shore readers…you can go to Traeger furs ANY TIME through the end of March and ask for Barry. He’ll take good care of you.