Ermine is the winter fur of the stoat. Stoats have brown fur for most of the year but turn white in winter, apart from a black tip on the tail. This white fur provides protective camouflage during the snowy season. Although stoats are a common animal in Britain, ermine could only be obtained during winter months, which made it very expensive. The high price of true ermine led to a technique called “powdering” where rabbit fur was used for the main bulk of the garment and black stoat’s tails were attached at intervals to simulate real ermine. Stoat’s tails remain black throughout the year so with this deceit there was no need to wait for the winter variation.

In Tudor times “sumptuary laws” dictated what people could wear, as clothes showed their social position. Under these rules only royalty were allowed to wear ermine. Look out for ermine in portraits of Henry VIII. 

This is a whole animal skin. The fur is very soft. Up close you can see whiskers, ears and eye holes. Today there is much debate about the morality of killing animals to use their fur in clothes. What do you think?