Fur remains a fixture in Cortina, the co-host city of the Winter Olympics, in photos

By: Alessandra Tarantino, The Associated Press Posted: 5:16 AM CST Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 Last Modified: 7:11 AM CST Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026

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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Fur coats are plentiful on the streets of Cortina d’Ampezzo, especially during these Winter Games.

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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Fur coats are plentiful on the streets of Cortina d’Ampezzo, especially during these Winter Games.

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This article was published 19/02/2026 (253 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Fur coats are plentiful on the streets of Cortina d’Ampezzo, especially during these Winter Games.

When asked to explain why furs remain so common here, even as much of the world has moved to synthetic alternatives, whether for environmental, ethical, or affordability reasons, the answers are revealing. Italians say it’s a bubble, devoid of political activists and the working class. Coats of mink, lynx, wolf, sable and ocelot can be seen up and down the Corso Italia, the main street.

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Paola De Leidi poses for a photo wearing a fur coat after an interview with The Associated Press in the Pajaro shop, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Fur coats are displayed at the Pajaro shop, a luxury Italian fashion brand, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Sales manager for Pajaro, a luxury Italian fashion brand, Marco Molinari, right, helps his client, Stefano Vannicola, put on a fur coat in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

A model pug wearing a coat of kangaroo fur sits at the foot of the fur coat boutique Pajaro, a luxury Italian fashion brand, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

From left, Stefano Vannicola, Silvia Antelli, and Stefania Damiani browse the local branch of Pajaro, a luxury Italian fashion brand, while chatting with sales manager Marco Molinari in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)