Fur Remains a Fashion Staple in Olympic Host Cortina

Despite growing environmental and ethical concerns, wearing fur coats and hats continues to be a cultural tradition in the Italian mountain town.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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In the Italian mountain town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, the host of the 2026 Winter Olympics, wearing fur coats, hats, and other fur accessories remains a deeply ingrained cultural tradition. Despite growing global concerns over the environmental and ethical issues surrounding the fur trade, many residents and visitors to Cortina continue to embrace fur fashion, with high-end fur boutiques lining the town's main streets. The article explores how fur has remained a stylistic mainstay in Cortina, even as much of the rest of the world has moved towards synthetic alternatives.

Why it matters

Cortina's enduring embrace of fur fashion highlights the cultural and economic complexities surrounding the fur industry. As the EU considers legislation to shut down fur farms and curb the fur trade, Cortina's residents and businesses demonstrate how deeply rooted fur can be in certain regional identities and traditions, even as the practice faces increasing scrutiny worldwide.

The details

Fur coats, hats, and other accessories are ubiquitous on the streets of Cortina, with high-end fur boutiques like Pajaro displaying a wide variety of fur products ranging from mink and lynx to more exotic furs like ocelot. Many of the town's residents, such as 62-year-old Paola De Leidi, have been loyal customers of these fur shops for decades, seeing Cortina as a safe haven where they can freely indulge their passion for fur fashion without the anxiety of judgment from "green people" and animal rights activists. The article also notes that even celebrities like Snoop Dogg have embraced Cortina's fur culture, purchasing a fur hat from Pajaro during his visit.

  • Cortina has been a hub of fur fashion for as long as anyone can remember.
  • The 2026 Winter Olympics are being held in Cortina.

The players

Paola De Leidi

A 62-year-old retiree from Trieste who has been a faithful customer of Cortina's fur shops for 25 years, storing her fur collection in a designated "Cortina" closet.

Marco Molinari

The shopkeeper at the Pajaro fur boutique in Cortina.

Stefano Vannicola

An insurance broker from Ascoli Piceno who purchased a coat of Canadian lynx fur from the Pajaro boutique.

Snoop Dogg

The American rapper who purchased a fur hat from the Pajaro boutique during his visit to Cortina.

Fur Free Alliance

An international non-profit organization that reports more than 1,600 clothing retailers have agreed to stop selling furs.

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What they’re saying

“I like to come here and buy strange things, like pink furs, or panther! Now, with all the green people (environmentalists) and everything, I just feel safe going around here.”

— Paola De Leidi

“Here in the mountains you're truly free. When you walk along the street, you don't have the anxiety of being robbed.”

— Marco Molinari, Shopkeeper

What’s next

The European Commission is planning to announce a decision on banning the holding and killing of mink, foxes, raccoon, dogs and chinchilla, and marketing of fur products from those animals, which could have significant implications for Cortina's fur trade.

The takeaway

Cortina's enduring embrace of fur fashion, even as much of the world moves away from the practice, highlights the deep cultural and economic roots the fur industry has in certain regions. As environmental and ethical concerns grow, Cortina's story underscores the challenges of reconciling traditional practices with evolving social values.