Tiara Marie Debuts New Fashion Fur Line at Saks Fifth St. Louis

The world renowned Furry Godmother, Tiara Marie, debuted her fashion line FGM Bespoke at Saks Fifth Avenue in Frontnac this past week. Her line first launched during Paris Fashion Week  this year. Now, she is here in St. Louis to grace us with the style and innovation that is FGM Bespoke. 

FGM represents her namesake, Furry Godmother, and Bespoke is befitting because every piece is made custom from the finest fur found around the world. She particularly enjoys working with Swakara, which is predominantly found in the southwestern countries of Africa. This type of fur includes more skin than wool, making it ideal for year round use. From afar it appears to be suede, however, as you approach you will discover the subtle fur, and become enamored by its almost majestic waves. 

Born in Chicago, Ill., she did not know much about fur, however she was gifted a fur keychain by St. Louis Business owner and now husband, John Hanlon, at the Fur and Leather Center. Tiara then joined the business as part-owner and Chief Marketing Officer four years ago to help regenerate sales for the company during the COVID pandemic. Her fur collection grew from a keychain to a scarf, to a vest, then to a coat. Now she has so many she can hardly keep count. She enjoyed the compliments and reactions she would get adorned in these fine furs and believed it was her duty to make fur an everyday fashion. 

Her “Fur is Fashion” movement inspired her to create FGM Bespoke, which is an offshoot brand at the Fur and Leather Center, and design all-purpose looks that can be worn yearlong. 

The FGM Bespoke fashion show included looks for day and night, and classic silhouettes like a denim jumpsuit with a collar fitted with a marble dyed Swakara fur, and a subtle trim of the same along the ankle. She also featured classic looks like a dazzling black floor-length gown with a seductive thigh-high slit with a simple fur cuff around the wrist. Her collection also featured several mens looks like suit jackets and two full Swakara fur sets, arguably the stars of the show. One was a classic blazer and bermuda short set dyed a mossy green color with subtle embellishments along the lining. Typically, we would expect a fur set to be heavy and rigid, however Tiara’s design appears to be light-weight and flexible. The next was a semi-stacked pant and a denim style jacket with a cap sleeve. This look was dyed in a black and white cow print, giving this clever look even more edge. 

Also with this fashion line, Tiara was able to create a bridge between high fashion and street fashion by adding a few simple fur embellishments. For instance, in one design she created a camouflage print mini skirt and included deep gold Swakara fur panels, creating a more high end look. For another she used a standard Chicago Bulls jersey, cropped it and added a luscious fur trim and paired it with a cargo pant and lots of icy jewelry. This look screams hip-hop, but it also reads high fashion because of the addition of the fur. Her collections also featured several denim looks with Swakara fur pockets and paneling. She even included looks for children to introduce them to the “Fur is Fashion” lifestyle. These looks included an a-line fur skirt with a subtle pastel cow print design. Another was a maroon skirt with a zipper detailing and a sleeveless blouson jacket, perfect for the spring or fall. 

With “Fur is Fashion” as her design motto, Tiara’s was able to create and expose St. Louis to fur fashions that are versatile and not confined to any season. With FGM Bespoke, she has introduced St. Louis to sustainable fashion furs that are not only practical but can also be passed down through generations and worn forever. Her designs have been featured in publications like Gazelle Magazine, Nylon Magazine, and Fashion Bomb Daily. This is only the beginning for Tiara and FGM Bespoke. We can’t wait for what she has to share next!