The Wild Side of Style

The Greek god of wine and hedonism are often shown wearing leopard or cheetah hide while Chinese goddess Xi Wangmu is depicted with the teeth of a tiger and the tail of a leopard.

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Egyptian pharaohs and Roman emperors wore skins as symbols of their authority and status, with the Emperor Honorius banning his court from wearing them to maintain exclusivity.

By the 18th century, traveling European aristocrats brought back hides and furs used as coats and rugs which, together with taxidermy, became symbols of their influence and nobility. Hunting became a desirable sport with the belief that wearing the skin of an animal, like a cheetah, gave the hunter its speed. Napoleon's travels in the 1800s to North Africa ignited an animal print craze in fur coats and rugs, and later, in printed silks that complemented lace dresses for the elite.