Great scarf, so soft, and I love the way you pull it so casually through your ring like that! But you’re so brave—I’d be scared of being arrested! Oh no, silly, this isn’t a shahtoosh. This is a shabanotoosh, which looks and feels like a shahtoosh but, happily, does not require the killing of up to five chirus to make one.

A chiru? Yes, the endangered Tibetan antelope from whose undercoat the traditional shahtoosh is made.

So that’s why they’re illegal? Uh-huh.

But will Nan Kempner be fooled by my impostor made of, ahem, synthetic wool? You bet. They’re just as soft and thin—you can still pull the whole thing through a ring and fold it into the tiniest clutch. Honestly, no one will notice and you’ll be animal-friendly.

But if they’re that good, won’t the Customs people be fooled, too, and arrest me anyway? No, no, each shawl comes with an authentic imitation certificate. For more information, write accessoriesbyanu@yahoo.com.

Related:

• Archive: “Intelligencer Features”
• Table of Contents: Jan 12, 2004 issue of New York | Subscribe!