Accessory set

Caroline Reboux|Caroline Reboux

1890–99 · feather, silk · Costume Institute

Caroline Reboux rose to popularity after drawing the attention of the Austrian Princess Metternich in the 1860s. She is most well known for her cloche hats of the 1920s. Typical of Reboux's designs, the placement of the feathers is especially refined in this rare muff and hat set. The silvery breast feathers of the grebe bird were used extensively as a substitute for fur among milliners in the 19th century. Their popularity led to the near extinction of the birds in the United Kingdom, prompting the development of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Artist

Caroline Reboux|Caroline Reboux

Date

1890–99

Medium

feather, silk

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Rodman A. Heeren, 1959