Sveinsson had a suspicion that the peculiar order must have been intended for the president.
A year later he was proved right when his business partner casually noted, "By the way, we have tailored the jacket for the president Putin."
What's so special about Eiderdown?
For over 100 years Sveinsson’s family has harvested and washed the rare and expensive down which is carefully collected from the nests of the Arctic eider ducks after being shed by them to use as a nest-lining through the cold winter months.
The material is highly valuable - especially for those living or travelling to Nordic countries, because a garment lined with eiderdown keeps the body warm even in the stable ice cold weather.
The special order for the president’s jacket involved two kilos of down. Based on the market price, it can cost between AUD $24,000 to $39,000 depending on the customer's country.
For example, the retail price in Russia for the garments filled with Eiderdown is close to the lower range.
Perhaps that was the reason why media reported that Putin's eider puffed jacket cost AUD $15,000.
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin outside the Kremlin in Moscow wearing a puffer jacket - whether or not it's an eiderdown one isn't clear Source: AFP, Getty
"Eiderdown is a material for the true connoisseur of comfort and it’s adequately priced compared to the labour needed for its harvest and washing," says Sveinsson.
As opposed to cheaper sources of down, now far more common, which can involve cruel methods of live-plucking the birds, the eiderdown harvesting method involves carefully and manually collecting the down from the birds' nests when they leave their nests for their annual migration back to the ocean.
Apart from the high price, eiderdown is also known for its lightness and incredible softness (unlike goose down that is plucked from the whole body of the bird, eider’s down comes only from the belly).
To feel protected from the severe weather one does not need much of this down. Just 150-200 grams of eiderdown layered inside a coat is sufficient to keep the body warm.
So what does the Putin’s jacket look like?
As Sveinsson laments, there is no obvious visual difference between a cheap goose down jacket and an outrageously expensive eiderdown one - therefore it’s tricky to pick on president Putin’s outfit.
Sveinsson says though that he has his own puffer jacket made by the same manufacturer BASK. His model is one from their generic line. He says that Putin's is probably similar.
Lacking a distinct visual identity, the goose and eider down jackets can easily become a trading scam for marketing and manufacturers. They can hand out cheap quality for higher price, bewails Jon.
Source: BASK
"We have diamonds on our hands but we trade them like mere rocks," says the eider harvester.
In reality, the entire process from farming to harvesting is different. Eiderdown harvest is sustainable and ethical. While goose and duck are often live-plucked, eiders pluck themselves and then harvesters replace it by dry hay without any damage to the bird.
Imperial Russia used to be the leader in harvesting eiderdown and manufacturing ultra-light quilts, warm and weightless blankets for nobles and Tsar’s coats. But the industry ground to a halt in the early 20th century now exists mainly as a niche product.
Today, an eiderdown quilt can be mainly purchased through distributors in the luxury goods category and the average price for one in Russia is AUD 18,000-30,000.
Iceland has since taken over the leading role in the international market for eiderdown. It harvests three tonnes of the lightest and softest down in world annually.
There is no hunting on eiders and it could be the reason why the wild birds still aren’t afraid of humans, allowing them to get close to the nest.
Jon doesn’t brag about the presidential order. From time to time he gets famous clients.
Source: Flickr
"I reckon wealthy consumers worldwide neither want to have their purchase pattern chased, nor individual purchases noticed by the general public and I imagine Russians not being any different, president Putin not being an exception.
"Eiderdown is a material for true connoisseur of comfort and it’s adequately priced comparing to the labour needed for its harvest and washing," concludes Jon.
Live plucking of ducks and geese has reached a grand scale in China, where the birds are being plucked four times a year.
This cruelty is being widely-criticised by animal protectionist and ethical fashion activists. As Jon says, the bad reputation of down manufacturers now and then spills on his trade.
“There’s simply no guarantee that the feathers inside any down jacket weren’t ripped out of a screaming goose," says PETA's Ashley Fruno, the organisation's Associate Director of Campaigns, in a statement on the PETA website against Australian outdoor-supplies company Kathmandu's sale of down puffer jackets.
The RSPCA's policy toward duck-down production, (which is practiced overseas) states that "Live plucking is a serious animal welfare concern and consumers of down products (e.g. doonas or down jackets) are strongly encouraged to verify the method of down collection to ensure it is done post slaughter."
Ever keen to construct photo opportunities showing his tenderness towards fluffy animals, perhaps this time Putin's choice of ethical clothes will leave a positive imprint on demand for such goods.
Photo collage of AAP Image/ AP Photo/Valentina Petrova; AAP Image/Andrew Taylor, G20 Australia; Alexsey Druginyn/AFP/Getty Images Source: AAP, Getty Images
In Russia, Western fashion is hard to come by due to sanctions. But in a country where buying a fur coat is almost a rite of passage, the demand for luxury brands is only growing. Stream this episode below and at SBS ON DEMAND.
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