Evening muff
Designer Elsa Schiaparelli Italian
Not on view
Monkey fur from the genus Colobus was highly desired for clothing, particularly during the early 20th century, because of its sleek black color and length. This muff by Schiaparelli is monkey fur of a different type, most likely from the squirrel monkey, whose fur is speckled and looks olive green because of the blending of brown and white. Schiaparelli worked to incorporate unusual fabrics that expressed her unconventional design sensibility. This specialized type of fur together with the deep navy broadcloth is a chic, novel example of that idiosyncrasy.
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