Store: 'Ocelot' fur actually goat

DALLAS, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus says boots it advertised as containing "natural ocelot fur" were actually made with ocelot-patterned goat fur.

Ginger Reeder, a spokeswoman for Neiman Marcus, said the Dallas-headquartered chain's investigation into the eyebrow-raising advertisement found the Manolo Blahnik Cava Fur-Trim OTK Boots, which retail for $1,495, do not actually contain any illegally harvested fur from the endangered species of wildcat, The Dallas Morning News reported Thursday.

"We made a mistake, as we do from time to time, and it's ocelot-printed goat, basically," Reeder said.

Pierre Grzybowski, manager of Humane Society of the United States' fur-free campaign, said the store's actions could constitute false advertising.

"This is likely just another in the ever-growing list of misrepresentations of animal fur by Neiman Marcus," he said in a statement. "This deserves a thorough investigation, and if Neiman Marcus is found to have violated the Fur Products Labeling Act, it needs to be held accountable for deceiving the public."