Fur has connotations of Luxury, wealth, status, Femininity and Glamour. This is the trope that is predominantly conformed to However is there ever a time when people rebelled against this?
Animal Pelts, Skins and Fur have been used by humans for centuries to protect them from the climate since the earliest societies .Animal pelts and Fur were popular because they are durable and warm which were perfect for the living conditions of this time. But why I wonder is Fur a trend within fashion that despite its fluctuating popularity is a constant feature of the fashion landscape?
Obviously Fur started out as a staple due to necessity and availability for hundred of years however It is when Fur became a fashion statement rather than a functional piece of clothing that I am interested. Modern Fashion Itself and the constant challenge to remain 'on trend' that did not develop until the 18th century. Through this time many brands and movements have conformed or Rebelled against the social norms at the time with this very controversial material.
Fur saw its first real rise in popular fashion during the Victorian Era when it was being worn dominantly by the royals and Upperclass, Disseminating down into the common person by the 20th century. It was used to conform with social construct of the celebration of the status and wealth of an individual by emulating the styles adopted by the royalty of the time.
Post world war 1 a fur coat was something that women would be bought by their 'male protectors' as a symbol of their affection as fur was expensive and a luxury. However some women that has inherited or came into money because their male counterparts had been lost in the war Rebelled against this tradition and went out to get their own fur coats because and had control over their money for the first time. So the fur coat became a symbol of female independence.
Cinema helped fur to remain popular in society during the 1920's with celebrities such as Louise Brooks, Pola Negri and Greta Garbo wearing luxurious outfits made from fox and mink by the 1930's London had established itself as the centre of the Fur trade. It was predicted that 2 out of 3 women wore fur during this period. This Obsession with the luxury of fur was continued through the 1950's when there was a peak in the demand for fur due to celebrities such as Marylin Monroe wearing a fox stole.
It wasn't until the 1970's when the ethics of wearing fur as a garment was really questioned by the mainstream, Particularly by animal rights movements such as PETA. This meant that wearing garments that had real fur on them was hugely frowned upon. This meant that brands shied away from using fur for fear of being criticised in the media. Not all Designers shared the views of this majority though Karl Laggerfield stated that: "in a meat eating world, wearing leather for shoes, clothes and even handbags, the discussion on fur is childish' This rebellion against the 'accepted' stance on the fur trade caused much controversy but a lot of media attention for his brand.
Since the 2010's there has been a huge resurgence of this trend due to the rise in popularity of Vintage and faux fur trends. To continue to be a part of the modern fashion landscape fur trends have had to subvert from there old connotations and roots and become something new to survive.
This season over 70% of brands used fur or Faux fur in their runway collections Fendi used fur in 41 out of 41 of their looks at fashion week so it is definitely a trend that is back with vengeance. Some brands continued to conform to the symbolism of fur such as Tome, Jason Wu and Altuzarra But others have taken fur and rebelled against the supposed symbolism by choosing electric colours and prints which make this very glamorous garment edgy and fresh. Some of the brands doing this are: Prabal Gurung, Ohne Titel and Creatures of the wind.
Whatever is happening to the symbolism of Fur the industry it is valued at $40 Billion so I think it is safe to say that it is not going anywhere any time soon!
Much love K x
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