Sleek furs, exotic feathers, iridescent pearls – the splendour and beauty of the animal kingdom has fascinated humans and aroused desires since time immemorial. The rarer a fur or pearl was the greater the desire to adorn oneself with it. In order to do this animals all over the world were hunted killed and exterminated, their skins, carapace, teeth being lucrative commodities for clothing and fashion. They fulfilled the desire of men and women for luxury and distinction, exemplified eroticism, promised an entire industry good business.
Has nothing changed? Have the anti-fur campaigns not achieved anything? A glance in any pedestrian area shows: Animal materials shape fashion trends – they are “in” once more. Luxury items made of fur, for a long time frowned upon, have become main-stream once more. The production figures speak for themselves: A estimated 90 million animals lose their life annually for fur fashion.
Our behaviour towards animals is being put to the test – not only because of overexploitation of nature and ethical questions: What is permitted for humans? The Corona pandemic also makes it clear that change is needed. The virus probably reached us through to close a contact between wild animals and people and fur farms have also contributed to its spread.
All imaginable types of animals have always been used in fashion with a great deal of phantasy and craftsmanship. Fascinatingly beautiful garments which protect, warm and adorn people. However no animal voluntarily sacrifices its skin, its feathers or its shell. The death of the animal is the downside of this luxury consumption. The exhibition “Raids for Fashion” being staged at the LVR-Industriemuseum in the Textilfabrik Cromford (Textile Mill) focusses on this particular section of the cultural history of fashion spanning over 200 years and brings to life the immediate confrontation between man and animals. Over an area of more than 500 m2, 250 items from the museum‘s own textile collection are exhibited in addition to photographs and films. Interactive stations and educational options enable visitors, especially families and school classes to explore the topic in play.
To complete the exhibition, photographs by the Berlin-based artist Oliver Mark from his series “Natura Morta” are on show in the Cromford mansion. This depicts a large number of preserved animals as well as garments and accessories made of animal materials. These illegally traded items smuggled into Germany were seized by the customs authorities and have since been stored in the evidence vault of the Bundesamt für Naturschutz (Federal Office for the Protection of Nature) in Bonn. This photographic exhibition is the counter-pole to the exhibition “Raids for Fashion” in the “Hohe Fabrik” (High Mill) which it supplements.
A catalogue is being published to accompany the exhibition
Textilfabrik Cromford (Textile Mill), Ratingen: 11.7.2021 - 26.06.2022
Tuchfabrik Müller, Euskirchen: 5.3.2023 – 7.1.2024
