David Attenborough has a lot to answer for. And not just because of the number of east London men who are unsuccessfully trying to recreate the facial hair of his Frozen Planet team.
Thanks to last year's series, polar-inspired white fur is one of this winter's most coveted fabrics - and, given its cosy properties, its popularity has snowballed during the recent cold snap.
As with most tactile trends, this is one that has been present in Kate Moss's extensive wardrobe for seasons now. A champion of vintage fur coats in a host of styles, the supermodel chose a simple white collar-detailed coat to attend her recent birthday celebrations - and was previously spotted sporting a shaggy faux-fur gilet from Chanel's winter collection.
Controversially, other high-profile fans of the Arctic look include genuine-fur-wearing "ghetto princess" Jennifer Lopez and Elettra Rossellini-Wiedemann, model daughter of actress Isabella Rossellini.
But while a renewed affection for this cuddly textile was inspired by the nuzzling polar bears on Attenborough's watch, the high-fashion world is looking for animal-friendly solutions to fur.
On the autumn/winter catwalks, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent relied on silky-soft white feathers to evoke the appearance and feel of fur in their collections, and a host of other designers, including Isabel Marant and Mulberry, opted for shearling wool.
Of course, not everyone can afford to keep out the cold in a six-grand Yves Saint Laurent cape, so if you do fancy dabbling in snow-queen chic your only option is to fake it. But from jackets to stoles, to coats so cosy that wearing one is like walking around inside a mobile central-heating system, faux fur is all over the shops this winter.
The good news? It's actually very lovely. So lovely, in fact, that even hard-nosed fashion snobs are bypassing their usual rabbit and chinchilla furs for a conscience-appeasing alternative. Last winter, Karl Lagerfeld crafted a whole collection out of the stuff.
For quality and value, ASOS can't be beaten - its Dalmatian-print faux-fur bomber is an excellent buy, while a delicious-looking pair of white faux-fur mittens are also an inviting option. Topshop and H&M are both currently offering cosy-looking Cossack hats in the fabric. Bring on more snow
