Present in European dress from at least the 19th century, monkey fur became particularly prominent in fashion in the mid- to late-1930s. The preserve of the adventurous dresser, it was popularised by haute couture designers, most notably Elsa Schiaparelli, who featured monkey fur in her 1933 collection. This jacket is an excellent example of monkey fur (or imitation monkey fur) used beyond haute couture. Sold at René Gibson, The Strand, Blackpool, it also demonstrates the reach of fashionable dress outside fashion capitals. René Gibson operated between 1934 and 1940, hence the precise dating of the jacket.