Dutchman gets fur ahead of competition

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Boer sources its raw materials from major international fur auction houses like Saga Furs, to ensure the quality of the material, as well as take care of animal welfare issues.

The fur pieces are manufactured in Hong Kong and Shenzhen while the menswear is handmade in Ningbo by craftsmen who are trained in European tailoring.

Most of the menswear clients are foreigners living in Beijing while the majority of fur clients are Chinese women.

Boer's clientele has grown on a word-of-mouth basis.

In winter, at least three groups from outside Beijing fly in to buy fur, says Tang.

The couple are now furnishing a new coffee shop neighboring the fashion shop, as a gathering place for friends and clients.

"In future, I hope that when people in China talk about fur, they will first think of us," she says.