Customer Services

 

Storage

Our professional staff will inspect each garment and clean and revitalize your fur.  Then to protect your investment and add years of usage, we will store it in our climate-controlled vault, keeping it safe from heat, humidity and pests.  Store your coat with peace of mind at Alexandros.

Call and ask about our specials and complimentary pick-up service nationwide.

You  get your car tuned, your fine jewelry repaired and maintain the valuables in your home in good working condition.  Your fur is just as deserving of care.

You’ve made an investment in your garment.  Protect it.  For longevity and to help prevent costly repairs, have it professionally stored each season to keep it in good shape.  Air conditioning in your home takes the moisture out of the air and out of your coat.  Proper garment storage safely keeps your garment in a cold, dark, humidified environment away from heat, drying air conditioning, household pests and mold.

If you would like a complimentary storage pickup or have any questions, please call:

516-374-4443

Custom Design

Alexandros’ owner and principal designer Anastassios Politidis started out as a fur/leather designer and patternmaker.  With the fur expertise and depth of our team, we can offer a unique experience… turning the fur you’ve dreamed of into a reality.  From design consultation and a sketch of your custom-made creation, to choosing the pelts we’ll use to make your fur, to a canvas fitting and the final fitting, you will be assured of the quality and style you desire at an unparalleled price.

We custom design new garments, and work miracles on older and inherited items that no longer reflect your taste.  They may be out of style, not your color or they may just need a fashion make-over!

Cleaning: Fur, Shearling and Leather

It is very important to clean your fur coat at least once a year – even if you haven’t worn it.  The cleaning and glazing process is like washing and putting lotion on your skin, it protects it from harmful agents including dust, air pollution, air conditioning, salt, perfumes, skin oils that have the potential to change the color of your fur over time, undercut the hairs during wearing, shrink and dry out the pelts leading to expensive repairs.  Removing salt from the lining of your coat prevents the salt from eating holes in the silk.  We can clean your faux furs as well, preventing matting and pilling.

Cleaning leather, suede and shearling reconditions and keeps it soft and supple.  We also offer cleaning services for your fur-lined and fur-trimmed cloth, silk, wool and cashmere garments.

Dyeing

We dye or re-dye any garment in good condition.  We can also bleach white items that have turned yellow.

Repair

A small rip, a worn cuff, a loose lining, missing hooks or rings are all things that need to be taken care of right away, before they “grow” into costly major repairs or damage.  Our master furriers can take care of any repair, or provide a solution to any fur, shearling or leather problem you may have.  Bring your garment to our salon, or call for a pickup.

Appraisals

All of your fur garments should be insured.  With each purchase, we send you an appraisal certificate for your insurance company.  The most economical is a rider added to your home owner’s or renter’s insurance policy.  If you  have an inherited or older garment without an appraisal, for a nominal fee we can evaluate your garment and provide you with a certificate for insurance.

Remodeling

Worn Edge or Spot Replacement

You may have an older garment that you haven’t worn in years because it is out of fashion or your lifestyle has changed.  Bring it to us.   We can shorten or lengthen any fur giving it a whole new lease on life!  If you have a worn hemline, cuffs, pockets or edges, our furriers can make these look new again – one of the beauties of fur.  The same is true of worn or damaged pelts.  Make and appointment with one of our furriers today.

Pocket and Zipper Replacement

You’ve jammed everything from hands to gloves to toys and tissues into your pockets for years (pockets that may have not been deep enough to start).  Now they have holes or are making the front of your coat sag.  We can replace these and help you start the cycle all over again.  Is your favorite fur or leather jacket sitting in the closet with a broken zipper?  We’ll replace the zipper and recondition the jacket so that you can start enjoying it again.

Conversion

Do you have an older or inherited coat that you don’t know what to do with?  Let us help.  We could give it new life by turning it into a lined or reversible jacket or coat.  We can even use it to make a removable vest/liner for a poplin or denim jacket.  You can even have it knitted into a whole new creation.

Monogramming

We provice a complimentary monogramming with each new fur sale (coat or jacket).  If you have an older or inherited garment, we can either replace the existing monogram or put a monogrammed pocket over it for a fee.

Complimentary Inspection

Bring your old or inherited garment into our salon for a free consultation and evaluation.  We can determine whether the pelts are reusable and if it would be worth it to reclaim the fur and turn it into something new and original.

Relining

The lining is very important to the style, health and longevity of your garment and it is easily replaceable.  We can replace or repair your stained, worn and torn lining with a new and beautiful classic or trendy high quality satin lining.

Trade-In

If you have a pice that no longer reflects your taste or perhaps you’ve inherited a fur that is out of fashion and not your color, trade it in for an updated style.  Just bring it into our salons and meet with one of our furriers to discuss a better option for you.

Delivery

We have delivery (or pick up) available in all 50 states by messenger, UPS or USPS.

Lay-Away

For a small deposit, you can lay away any garment and take advantage of seasonal sales to grow your fur wardrobe.

Financing

We have convenient financing available for all garments.

Fur Care

Given the right attention, your fur coat will make you look gorgeous for decades.  In fact, you’ll probably get tired of it before it wears out.  While today’s furs can be trendy, you can even restyle them after a few years to keep in step with fashion – if they’ve been pampered properly.

Unless you have a very delicate fur like chinchilla, your fur coat is a fairly durable item and must simply be treated with common sense.  Furs like cold, hate heat.  The don’t like friction.  They don’t like chemicals.  They like space.  They like to be cleaned often, but only by a fur professional.

  • Insure your fur on your homeowner’s policy for its replacement value, so you won’t be heartbroken in case of theft.  Furriers usually offer nominal insurance coverage while your coat is in storage and sometimes make further coverage available for a small fee.

  • Give it a good home.  Be sure you put it in a coat closet that is not exposed to light (which will fade your fur) or heat.  Check for hot water or steam pipes in the wall.  Then be sure it has room to breathe and isn’t being crushed by other garments.

  • Hang your fur on a broad-shouldered or padded hanger with a long neck.  No wire hangers, Ideally, ask your furrier for a professional hanger.

  • Don’t cover it in a garment bag.  You fur prefers air circulation, to prevent its leather side from drying.  If you absolutely must keep it in a bag for a short period of time, be sure it is in a loosely woven cloth bag.

  • Accessorize wisely.  Don’t pin jewelry on your fur, and avoid sharp necklaces or bracelets that could snag your fur.  Don’t use your shoulder bag on a consistent basis, since it will wear the hairs off and give your coat a bald spot.  Consider wearing a scarf around your neck to protect the collar, which can be quickly matted.

  • Avoid insecticides, mothproofing and other chemicals around on your fur, including perfume or hairspray directly on your fur.  Perfume contains alcohol, which can dry your pelts.  Once a perfume gets into your fur – including cedar from a cedar chest – it could be there to stay.  Oils in the leather of your fur can become rancid and smell.

  • If your fur gets wet, don’t panic.  Most furs handle snow and light rain with ease.  Shake it out and hang it to dry in a well-ventilated room, at home or office.  Resist the temptation to speed the drying process by using a hair dryer or hanging it near a heat source.  Fur does not like heat.  After it dries, shake it again.

  • Your fur coat and your car, best friends?  Probably not.  Furs don’t do well with friction or crushing, both of which happen in your car.  Use common sense when sliding into the seat, so you’re not too hard on your fur.  To avoid a telltale flattened bottom print on your fur, don’t sit on it if possible, or at least not on the same spot consistently.  Shake out any spots when you exit your vehicle.  On long drives, take off your fur and wear it over you like a blanket, if you need to keep warm.

  • Keep your fur in mind when you’re on the move.  Double-check your insurance policy to make sure you’re covered in case of loss at a restaurant or while traveling.  At a restaurant, if the cloak room looks suspicious or overcrowded, don’t check your coat.  Don’t hang it on a hook or coat tree.  Fold it neatly on a chair at your table and cover with a napkin.

  • On a plane, the closet for hanging luggage is not the best place for your fur.  When you get to your destination, you might find your fur too crushed to wear.  Instead, leave it lightly on your lap for a super-lux, cozy blanket or fold it loosely, lining out, and place it at the top of an overhead bin very near you.  But find a bin that is already nearly full, and put your coat on top of other luggage.  Don’t tempt anyone to place luggage on top of your coat.

  • Always send your coat on summer vacation.  Nothing shortens the longevity of your fur like keeping it in your closet during a long, hot summer.  Send it to your furrier for professional storage.  This is important every year, for a fur, a shearling, a fur-trimmed garment and even a fur hat or scarf.  Unless you don’t intend to wear your fur for very long, take it in for cold storage.  It’s not very expensive, and this is the single best thing you can do to care for your fur.  It’s a necessity.

  • Have your fur cleaned regularly by a fur specialist, not a dry cleaner.  Furs must be cleaned by a special process.  Your fur should be cleaned every year, unless it hasn’t been worn hardly at all.  In that case, have it cleaned at least every other year.  Besides just cleaning, this conditions your fur, makes it look better and is good for your fur.  When you take your fur in for cleaning, this is also the time when your furrier gives it a check-up for any necessary repairs.  Always have repairs done immediately, before little problems turn into big headaches.

  • Cleaning is also necessary for shearlings and fur-trimmed garments, but these usually require special attention

Prices and Types

Below you will find broad retail price ranges for different types of fur garments (in U.S. dollars) based on the North American retail market.  Garments can probably be found for less than the minimum or more than the maximum, for a variety of reasons.  Fur garment prices vary due to geographical location, retailer, quality of manufacturing, pelt quality and whether or not they carry designer labels.  Fur prices are set by supply and demand at international pelt auctions.  Therefore, fur garment prices also vary according to season, depending on levels established by worldwide competition.

Mink

The most popular of all furs sold worldwide, mink accounts for the overwhelming majority of U.S. retail fur sales.  It is sold at a wide variety of price points.  Like automobiles, the bulk fall into the lower price range.  To the educated eye, there is a vast difference between the long mink costing $2,999 and the one costing $29,999.  The best way to choose is extensive comparison shopping using the touch test, looking for silky “guard hairs” (the longer ones on top) and even-textured “underfur” (the thicker lower layer of the mink).

Mink Price Ranges
Commercial - $2,499 - $5,999
Moderate - $6,000 - $9,999
Upper End - $10,000 - $50,000

Fox

Fox is traditionally the second-most popular fur garment sold in North America, though in the early ‘90s, its long-haired, ostentatious fur look became unfashionable and prices dropped.  By the middle of the decade, however, the frequency of using fox as a trim on other types of garments sent prices soaring.  Now that luxury is back in fashion, so is fox.  Prices are strong.  Still, fox garment prices can vary almost as much as those of mink.

The majority of fox sold in North America is farmed in Scandinavia.  It comes in several different colors that are used either in their natural tone or dyed.  Brightly hued short fox chubby jackets average $3,000 to $15,000 or more for top designers.  Natural fox pelts from North America, including wild red or gray fox, cost much less.  Therefore ankle-length wild fox coats, though not widely available, can be found at retail starting at about $1,999.

Beaver/Sheared Beaver

Over the past decade, brightly colored, patterned sheared beaver coats have become extremely fashionable, now found in top designer collections as well as for the mass market.  A natural, long-haired beaver coat retails in the range of $2,000 to $5,000, while a sheared and dyed one usually starts at $4,000 and can cost up to $7,000 or even more for some designer coats.

Sheared beaver coats are much more expensive than untreated, long-haired beaver coats not just because of this fashion trend, but for the following reasons:

  1. shearing the top of the pelts makes the underfur exposed, which means that it must be in perfect condition and requires that only top quality beaver pelts be used for this process.
  2. dyeing pelts is a treatment that adds value and price;
  3. the more elaborate graphic design set into the coat, the more workmanship is required to tediously cut, piece and sew together like a puzzle, the differently colored pelts.

Sable

Russian sable is still the most prized and expensive fur in the world for its legendary silky quality, rarity and light weight.  A little sable jacket starts at about $16,000 and a top quality silvery coat can run upwards of $150,000.

Persian/Karakul/Swakara Lamb

Today’s curly Persian, Karakul and Swakara lamb coats (the name depends on its origin in Asia or Africa) are a far cry from the ubiquitous, heavy black jackets of the 1950s.  Better technology allows furriers to treat the pelts so they are lightweight and even reversible to their own sueded leather side.  This adds value, fashion and price.  A Persian or Karakul lamb coat retail from about $5,000 to $12,000.

Mongolian/Tibetan Lamb

The flashiest of furs, Mongolian/Tibetan lamb is the only long-haired fur that is also curly. It has regained prominence this season with the return of the chubby style, which originated with fox.  It is also one of the least expensive furs at about $500 to $3,000.

Broadtail Lamb

Sleek, lightweight, shiny and flat as fabric but with a slight wave, Russian broadtail lamb lends itself to chic but expensive outerwear plus couture pant or skirt suits or evening wear – even dresses.  Prices start around $12,000 and to up to $25,000 or more.  Combined with a Russian sable collar and cuffs, and the price goes up from there.

Lynx

The wildly furry looking lynx, which comes in a variety of types of garments, was a darling in the 1980s.  In fact, during the heydays of the fur industry, a Russian lynx belly coat was the pinnacle of a fur purchase selling at retail for $250,000.  In the ‘90s, those prices have come down tremendously, but that special fluffy snow-white coat with black spots is still rare and precious.  Lynx are indigenous to North America and Russia, the “belly” of the pelt is usually whiter and has longer fur and is more expensive, compared to the “back,” which is usually flatter and has more brown shadings.  A Russian belly coat today costs about $50,000, compared to a coat of Russian lynx using the whole pelt costing about $25,000.  An American lynx coat sells for $6,500 to about $17,500, with an all-belly coat costing more than one using the back of the pelt of the entire pelt.

Shearling

Shearling is a fur using the pelt (including leather) from a sheep.  It doesn’t weigh a lot, like it once did.  Better tanning methods have made fine quality shearling much more lightweight and fashionable.  Shearling furs come in a large range of qualities and styles today, starting at about $250 for a very commercial version to $10,000 for a designer original.

Ponyskin

A misnomer that comes from 1960s fashion trends, today what designers call ponyskin is usually calfskin. It’s also extremely trendy again, used as a flat, shiny fur for skirts, suit jackets and outerwear.  It is not a very inherently expensive pelt, but prices depend on who is selling it, the designer, colors (the natural black and white pattern is less expensive than any dyed colors) and the amount of material used.  For outerwear, prices range from about $2,999 to $7,500.

Chincilla

Expensive and fragile, chinchilla is prestigious, difficult to manufacture and rarer than sable with prices that don’t peak quite as high (ranging from $30,000 for a jacket to about $100,000).  No fur needs more care, but no fur is softer than chinchilla.

Raccoon

A long-haired fur with signature gray and black shadings, raccoon coats retail for between $2,000 and $6,000.

Ermine

Once the fur of European royalty, Russian summer ermine (golden color) and winter ermine (white, sometimes with the tell-tale black tail tips) are rare and expensive, costing between $30,000 and $60,000.

Fisher

An unusual wild North American fur, fisher is a low-key prestige fur, long-haired, dark and silvery.  It costs between $12,000 and $25,000.

Otter

A mid-length wild fur with extremely shiny coat, otter is usually reserved for men’s garments and costs between $4,000 and $8,000.

Stone/Baummarten

North American wild furs, baum marten offers a soft, gold look somewhere between golden sable and gold-dyed mink, while stone marten is also creamy beige but boasts a dark brown stripe, which has a blue tone in top qualities.  Prices range from $7,500 to $15,000.

Coyote

A rough-and-tumble long-haired wild fur usually used for men’s jackets, coyote is creamy in color and not very expensive, at about $2,400 to $5,000.

Nutri

Nutria is a wild fur from North or South America, usually Argentina.  It is sheared and dyed most popularly for use as a liner to a raincoat or fine fabric coat such as cashmere.  An inexpensive fur, its price usually depends on the fabric it’s paired with, raging in price from $1,995 to $6,000.

Opossum

Usually originating in Australia or New Zealand, opossum is usually wooly and coarse and used for a raincoat liner or a man’s coat, costing from $1,695 to $4,000.

Muskrat

Muskrat is a North American wild fur that can be appreciated both in its natural beauty (it has distinctive shadings, including brown, gold, beige and gray) or dyed in deep jewel tones for sporty jackets.  Depending on the processing and manufacturing, a muskrat can cost from $1,295 to $4,000.

Russian Squirrel

Russian squirrel garments are rarely seen in North America, but their gray-blue pelts are usually dyed and used as an Italian designer favorite for their soft, supple and lightweight qualities.  They are somewhat fragile and not exceedingly warm, and cost about $5,000 to $15,000 because they’re designer imports.

Fitch

Fitch could be mistaken for a mink except for its distinctive and dramatic markings.  This fur, from Scandinavia or Russia, is a study in contrast with its brown/black guard hairs and stripe set against white underfur.  A garment costs between $4,000 and $7,000.

Buying The Right Fur For You

Most women know whether they look good in either warm or cool shades.  But fur shopping isn’t that simple.  When choosing dyed furs like bright purple, forest green and raging red, the usual rules apply.  However when choosing from the natural beauty of fur, the following are some general guidelines.

Blondes are enhanced by brown or pastel mink, by lynx and exotic light shades of mink or fox.  We recommend avoiding black mink (which can look harsh) as well as silver fox, raccoon and chinchilla (too blue), unless you are a platinum blonde.

Brunettes dazzle in black or mahogany mink, plus any red or blue shades (depending on your skin tone) of fox, mink or wild fur.  Stay away from very light mutation mink or fox, which can look jarring on a brunette if you don’t have a substantial pink or red undertone.

Universal furs are sables and the lamb family – Persian, karakul, broadtail, (which usually come in natural, neutral tones of black and brown) and shearling (which is almost always dyed.

Whatever you do, don’t choose a fur the same color as your hair.

Measurements

Bust

Waist

Hips – Through fullest part

Full Length – Neck seam to bottom of coat

Across Back – shoulder seam to shoulder seam

Shoulder width and sleeve length – neck seam to top knuckle of thumb