Chinchilla Fur Coat - 1965

Betty Yakova owned her own Paris couture salon before going to work for Neustadter Furs in New York.  In 1963, Yakova was given a special Coty Award for her work with fur.  Her work rivaled that of Bergdorf's Emeric Partos and she came up with some very innovative ways of using fur.  In 1967, Yakova designed mink tweed by sewing together tiny squares of charcoal and white mink.  In the same year, she made a coat with horizontal bands of silver fox and black mink.  She also dyed furs in fun colors like green, navy blue and purple.

Here, from 1965, is a 3/4 length Aurora chinchilla fur coat that Yakova designed for Neustadter's.  In another of her innovations, she used a wide belt of gray taffeta at the waist.  The coat was given added fullness below the waist with deep pleats.