Wednesday, March 16, 2011

I bought fur

Never Done: Went to a sample sale (and it was a fur sample sale, no less!)

I am producing a video shoot this week -- it's the same one I've been writing about for which I had props built (which are now sitting on my kitchen table looking terrific.) The video will go public on April 1 -- and I'll link to it then. In the meantime, I had a very full day casting an actress who would be willing to wear a bikini and fur hat (it's a satire), and delivering an 8-foot long set piece to Flatiron by subway, and shopping for returnable costumes. That third assignment took me to the East side, to the Gap on 54th Street and 5th Avenue. As I walked out of the store, I started to notice women wearing fur hats -- and realized that of course -- it was the perfect neighborhood to scout costume ideas. Just then, a woman walked past me wearing white fur earmuffs, and it hit me that that's the aesthetic I really needed. As I walked along wondering if anyone I know owns white fur earmuffs, I passed a man with a giant sign that read:

FUR SAMPLE SALE: CORNER OF 57th AND 6th

Well, I'd never been to a sample sale. And I had certainly never bought fur. And it was right on my way. And I had an extra 15 minutes. So really, what was keeping me from going in, aside from a moral opposition to buying fur. Oh, that little thing?

So I went into the pop up store. Two old Russian men were sitting at a fold-out table near the door, inspecting bags. An African American salesman in a gorgeous suit came over to greet me. When I told him what I was looking for, he led me right to the table of fur accessories -- gloves, scarves, collars, hand bags -- and dug through the ear muffs until he found the one white pair.

Now, what did I know about the price of fur? I literally had no idea if these were going to go for $40 or $4000. So I asked. And they cost ... I wish this could be a little more interactive, to give you a chance to guess before I tell you. Maybe you're asking yourself if it makes a difference, ethically, if you buy cheap fur or expensive fur. Maybe you're thinking it's better if it's cheap, because then at least no-one is profiting so much off the killing of an animal. Maybe you're thinking it's better if it's expensive, so that it will be more out of reach for most people, and so fewer animals will be killed for fashion. Maybe you're thinking if people eat meat and wear leather, what's the difference if they wear fur? Maybe you're thinking there is no justification of any sort for buying or wearing fur. Maybe you're wondering how much a pair of white fur ear muffs cost. Well, they cost $60.

Which was within reach on our budget. But still, I decided to try to bargain with the woman -- because I wasn't putting any other money into wardrobe, and because it seemed like maybe people bargain at sample sales. What did I know? I'd never been to a sample sale? So I asked the guy if they would take $45, and he said I had to talk with the gray-haired Russian woman at the register. So I went to her, and asked her if they would take $45. I explained that they were for an independent, small-budget video shoot for immigrant rights. She remained impassive, and then said, "The cost is $60." I mentioned that it's a very small company, to which she said, "We are a small company." At this point, I realized that I was not going to get any deal from this woman, whether or not people bargain at sample sales, which I still had no idea about. But even if they do (do they?) she was much tougher than me, which she proved by standing up and leaving me at the cash register. Completely leaving me. Completely walked away and left me standing there and went somewhere else and tried coats on and didn't come back. When I asked one of the bag check men if she would return, he said, "She's busy." I pointed out that I could see her. She was trying fur coats on. What kind of a world was I in? The man asked me how much she said I could have the ear muffs for, $50? I didn't want to lie, and I also didn't think he was in a position to work the register. I said, "I offered $45. She said $60." He walked away too.

It was so strange -- had I actually offended them? Did they all hate their jobs? If I had kept at it, would I have eventually gotten my price break? Was I supposed to walk away too? Those of you who know me well know that I'm a terrible shopper even under the most predictable circumstances. This was all too much for me. I realized I didn't want to play anymore, and I had forgotten about my ethical concerns about buying fur, and I knew I wanted the muffs for the shoot. So I asked yet another woman if she could help me. With great apparent reluctance, she shlepped over to the register and rang me and my ear muffs up for $60. She treated me like I was, I don't know, forcing her to rub green food coloring into a white mink stole.

Or maybe that was me wanting to act out. Instead, when I signed the credit card slip, I wrote a note underneath my name:

PLEASE BE MORE KIND

And I took the fur and left the store, hopefully never to return again. And hopefully the video will have a big impact for good in the world, and counteract all the bad karma I just accrued.

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