OBJECT REVIEW: EARLY 20TH CENTURY ERMINE COLLAR

The early 20th century saw a change in the fashion industry. Fashion was becoming more diverse and reformed, hems became shorter and a sense of androgyny was explored in cuts and designs. This ermine collar (pictured below) is from this period, dated between 1900-1930.




The collar was manufactured by Brooke Tyrell in Ireland. Made of silk and ermine fur and measuring at 820 mm in length by 115 mm in width, the collar is a delicate and glamorous item. On the exterior, the cream fur has four dark brown tail tips and is soft to touch. The interior is lined with cream silk and has a hook and eye fastening as well as a decorative chain. The garment is in good condition on the outside, but on the inverse there are noticeable signs of wear, such pulled threads and small orange stains.




Furs and collars have “always been a sign of opulence in dress” (Bond, 1981, p12) for women. In the 1900s, this garment would have been worn by the rich, especially so as it is made of ermine, one of the more expensive and sought-after furs. The collar would create a statement, draped over the shoulders of a winter evening dress. A fashionable woman would own several items of fur including collars, capes and coats to indicate her wealth and good taste. However, towards the end of the 1910s, wearing opulent-looking clothing became a sign of the nouveau riche, those who were not born into wealth. Fur coats became popular with young women trying to imitate a higher sense of wealth, and so the garment now symbolised a different type of class. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY

Book:

 Bond, D. (1981). The Guiness guide to 20th Century Fashion. Middlesex: Guiness Superlatives Limited. Pages 12 and 39.

Web:

 Modip.ac.uk. (2017). AIBDC : 002697 | Museum of Design in Plastics, MoDiP. [online] Available at: http://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/aibdc-002697 [Accessed 8 Nov. 2017].

Victoria and Albert Museum. (2016). History of Fashion 1900 - 1970 - Victoria and Albert Museum. [online] Available at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/h/history-of-fashion-1900-1970/ [Accessed 8 Nov. 2017].

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