The Actual Coat!
There is an old saying, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. Fortunately, this has proven to be true since I chose a career in fashion. While “fashion is my passion”, what has been so much more meaningful are the personal, long-term relationships that developed with our customers. That is what I truly love more than anything else this career has brought me. It has led to the honor of participating in some of the most important moments of peoples’ lives.
This came to mind the other day while wrapping up a custom project for a customer that was a gift for a wedding anniversary. This happened to be the second time we had the pleasure and fun of contributing to an important moment in this customer’s life.
Back in 2017, this couple came into the store to drop off the wife’s coats for cold storage. While we were getting her items in storage, the woman was looking around the store and commented to her husband about how much she liked a bright red cashmere coat with a large fox collar and cuffs that we had on display.
Her husband encouraged her to try it on. She beamed as she looked in the mirror and said, “Someday I’d love a coat like this that I can wear every day!”
Being an astute gentleman who obviously cares about his wife, he called me the next day and said that his wife’s birthday is right around the time she will be coming back to pick up her fur coat from storage. He wanted to purchase the coat and then coordinated with me so he can surprise her with this new coat that she obviously loved so much.
When the Fall arrived, he and I spoke about how to setup the surprise. I asked if he thought he could get her to the store about 30 mins before we open. That way, when they came in, we could have the coat on the stand… just like in the picture… with birthday balloons and a small cake, etc. The husband mentioned to the wife about picking up her fur from storage and that they should go together on Saturday morning since he needed to also stop by another store in the Shelbyville Road Plaza, but they needed to get there early.
When they arrived, I heard her say, “Are they open yet?” . That’s when we turned on the main lights and we all shouted, “Happy Birthday!” . She was stunned and speechless! I was particularly touched when she said, “Wow!”, and had a tear running down her cheek. By that point, we all had a tear running down our cheeks as she hugged all of us. I could tell her husband was as happy for her as she was to have been surprised in such a beautiful way on her birthday.
Then, this year, the husband called me because they are coming up on a big anniversary. He said he had been struggling to come up with an idea for a gift, until his wife said while watching an old movie, “They dressed glamorously all the time back in the golden age of Hollywood! Even with nightwear. Look at that robe she is wearing! I would wear a robe like that!”
Joan Collins wearing the Robe that inspired the anniversary gift! Image: Furglamor
That gave her husband an idea… why not a silk robe that reflects the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood? He asked if we could come up with something similar, but that wouldn’t require the budget of Joan Collins to acquire! So, our furrier and I went to work to see what we could come up with! After a few visits with the customer, who has become much more of a friend than a customer over the years, we finalized a design and got to work buying the robe and bringing in the fur pelts to have them dyed to match.
When we had the final product put together, I admit that I was a tiny bit nervous when the husband was coming in to see the final product. But I should not have been nervous because he loved it! Now he was the one who was a bit nervous because it was his turn to see his wife’s reaction when he gave it to her!
We all had our fingers crossed that this gift would be as much of a surprise as the birthday gift was 10-years ago! A day later he sent me a text that was just emoji fireworks… so I can only assume it turned out to be the anniversary present that he hoped it would be!
Custom Made Robe!
About Yudofsky Fur & Leather
Tradition, Commitment, Passion & The Excellence of Craftsmanship - These are the values that have guided Yudofsky since 1934.
Yudofsky Fur & Leather is an independent, family-owned luxury business and one of the country's finest fur businesses that provides comprehensive fur and leather services in-house. Yudofsky Fur & Leather features Kentucky’s largest selection of fine furs, leathers, shearlings, cashmere garments and unique accessories.