Fur Over Skin. The Evolution of Stylish Fur in Fashion
Explore the history of wearing fur coats with the National Museum of Costume in Portugal
Fur coats
The exhibition is a part of the "Collections in Detail" exhibitions program and encompasses dress and accessories made of pelt, belonging to the collections of the National Museum of Costume. Its aim is to raise public perception of a material whose uses and functions – althouh controversial – follows the history of societies throughout the centuries, keeping pace with their technological evolution, changing the use and typologies according to the historical, cultural, social context and the personal taste of its creator/wearer.
Brown ostrich feather coat (1880/1890) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
FUR AND ACCESSORIES
The National Museum of Costume has been collecting dress and accessories made of pelt, summing more than one hundred items, most of them dating from the 20th century.
Coat (1890/1900) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
ANIMALS' FURS
Testimonies with multiple insights and evoking other passions and reasons, what matters here is to record a typology of items which respond to a basic need, to shelter, using animals' furs.
Black fur coat (1910/1920) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
SOCIAL STATUS
As symbols of social status, more or less precious furs were employed in a variety of garbs and according to the financial possibilities of their wearer: astrakhan, fox, chinchilla, marten, sable, mink.
Brown fox fur stole (1950/1960) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
FUR LINED MUFFS
The fur lined muffs appeared by the late 15th century, along with the first stoles made of sable, marten or fox fur.
Children´s fur cape and muff (1920) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
17TH CENTURY
In the 17th century, Europeans brought furs from the New World and the American beaver was highly appreciated, used in hats, muffs, gloves and trims.
Fur cape (1930/1940) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
20TH CENTURY
In the first decade of the 20th century, the most common warmers were capes and coats associated with stoles and muffs. The most favoured furs were bear, lynx, fox and wolf.
Black velvet cape (1940) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
REDUCTION ON FUR TRADE
The World War II caused a reduction on fur trade: hunting was disrupted and there were restrictions to the sale of the most expensive furs in most countries with people turning to the use of cheaper furs such as hare, fox and weasel.
Leopard fur coat (1940/1950) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
THE NEW LOOK
Following the New Look in 1947, the long fur coat became an icon. It was wide and draped, made of precious furs.
Black rabbit fur coat (1969) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
1960's
In the 1960's there was a democratization in the use of furs: everyone could afford a faux fur coat, since the imitations could easily confuse an amateur.
Brown rabbit fur coat (1972) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
1970's
The 1970's highlighted a renovated interest in the authentic and original. Imitations and cheap fake reproductions of the various furs no longer appealed to the consumers.
White fur coat (1930/1940) by Unknown authorNational Museum of Costume in Portugal
MACHINE-WASHABLE FURS
Today, with a new generation of materials and faux furs, laser-cut, printed, engraved, elastic and stretched furs and even machine-washable furs, it seems the world is experiencing an inversion in the taste of fur over skin.
Texts: Clara Vaz Pinto,
Elsa Mangas Ferraz,
Xénia Flores Ribeiro
Online exhibition: Cândida Caldeira
Collection: National Costume Museum in Portugal
Photos: © DGPC/ADF
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