Since prehistoric times, furs and feathers have been used not only for warmth and protection but also for display and adornment. Offering lively insights into the decorative possibilities of
pelts and plumes, WILD: Fashion Untamed examinesfur’s ability to announce the wealth and status of the wearer by looking at the clothing of Renaissance aristocrats as well as that of
contemporary Hip-Hop performers such as P. Diddy and Missy Elliott.
WILD alsoexamines how pelts and plumes have come to define ideals of femininity by quoting the physical and sexual characteristics of birds and beasts. Examples include an
unprecedented array of designs by Azzedine Alaïa, Roberto Cavalli, Dolce and Gabbana, John Galliano for Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen, Thierry Mugler, and Yohji
Yamamoto. The book also features fantastical feathered costumes of Las Vegas showgirls and coquettish “birds of paradise” creations by milliners Stephen Jones and Philip Treacy.
Lavishly illustrated and entertainingly written, WILD revealshow faunal apparel, whether in the form of pelts, plumes, prints, or animal symbolism, has represented and will continue to
represent one of man’s more primal instincts.
