COWIE, Helen L. Victims of fashion: animal commodities in Victorian Britain.

Helen Cowie's book, "Victims of fashion: animal commodities in Victorian Britain," explores the connections between natural history and fashion during the Victorian era. The book highlights the extensive slaughter and maltreatment of animal populations globally in obtaining fashion items such as fur coats, feathered hats, and ivory billiard balls. Cowie also examines the emergence of concerns about wildlife conservation and animal welfare during this period. The book discusses the dual roles of exploitation and conservation in the international exchange of knowledge about natural history and the involvement of both men and women in perpetrating cruelty and advocating for animal rights. Additionally, Cowie touches on the hierarchy that existed between animals, women, the working classes, and indigenous people, as well as the racist foundations underlying certain ecological and animal rights campaigns. The book concludes by discussing the technological innovations that replaced animal materials and their implications. Overall, "Victims of fashion" sheds light on the impact of the trade in animal commodities in nineteenth-century Britain and its connection to the empire. [Extracted from the article]