Goat Couture
Fashion is getting its goat on this fall, as curly wisps of goat hair sprout from Gucci shoes, Fendi and Simone Rocha bags, and coats by Donna Karan, Marni, and Milly. Since ancient times, goat hair has been an important fiber; it is an essential... Read Article ››

Bat hat, c. 1916-18
What's Halloween without a bat? These small, flying mammals are a favorite Halloween motif, appearing as costumes, decorations, even candy. Though they're generally harmless to humans, western cultures usually consider bats the eeriest of creatures.... Read Article ››

1890s cabinet card and cape
  Cabinet card1896-1898Give of Steven Porterfield2009.897.27 Whoa! What happened to this cabinet card?!? Browsing through our collections management database, I was struck by the unusual orientation of this image, not to mention the sitter's... Read Article ››

Fox collar coat, c. 1927
  CoatWool & fox fur1925-1929Gift of Floss Alper2001.9.1 Appearing in the exquisite creations of the Parisian haute couture and the humbler pages of the Sears catalog, fur suited the extravagant mood of 1920s dress. Though a coat made entirely of... Read Article ››

Monkey fur coat, c. 1938
  Monkey fur inspires strong reactions. On my first encounter with a monkey fur coat, I was shocked by its smooth black locks, which were alarmingly similar to human hair. Among the FIDM Museum staff, we have differing reactions not only to monkey fur,... Read Article ››

Ted Lapidus fur, c. 1983
  Bill Cunningham's recent On The Street video "Fabulous, Mr. Fox," pointed out something I've noticed over the past few months: a renewed interest in animal prints and fur, both real and fake. In November 2010, the New York Times... Read Article ››