Dutch designer Markus Boer tailors a fur coat. He and his wife started an upscale tailored brand in Beijing, specializing in menswear and furs for women.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"Either the designs were outdated or the items were too expensive," she says.

Boer then started designing for Tang.

While Tang is more for fashion, Boer is into classic, elegant styles. So the result of their partnership was a combination of both.

After Tang wore a cherry blossom-colored fur coat, they received numerous requests from their friends to tailor for them.

That piece was developed into a whole collection based on the color, and it became a hit on Taobao.com, an online marketplace.

At first, Boer found the online success difficult to comprehend as he didn't think people would buy something as expensive as fur coats online.

In Boer's native the Netherlands, a fur coat is usually an investment that requires thorough consideration and can be passed on for generations.

"It is a once-in-a-life time experience, like buying a diamond ring or a new car. My mum went to a shop four times to check the fur coat before she bought it. She opened a bottle of Champagne afterwards. It was such an experience."