1920s Fur Coat Fashion Advertisements

Step back into the roaring 1920s, when fur was the ultimate status symbol of style and luxury. The advertisements featured here capture the opulence and artistry of fur fashion in St. Louis, a city that played a pivotal role in the fur trade during this glamorous era. These pages not only reveal the stunning designs of the time but also provide insight into the city’s rich history as a hub for furriers and fashion.

The Leppert-Roos Fur Co. and Elegant Fur Fashion

The first advertisement from Leppert-Roos Fur Co. displays a model clad in an elegant full-length fur coat, paired with a chic cloche hat—a hallmark of 1920s fashion. The ad portrays the refined ideal of the modern woman, fashionable yet sophisticated, a reflection of the glamorous transformation taking place in women’s wardrobes after World War I. Located at 809 Washington Avenue, Leppert-Roos was part of a vibrant furrier scene in St. Louis, where Washington Avenue thrived as a center for upscale commerce and luxury retailers.

During this time, St. Louis’s central location in the Midwest established it as a significant player in the national fur industry. Major fur companies, like Leppert-Roos, not only catered to the city’s affluent population but also benefited from access to fur trappers and transportation routes that brought pelts from across the U.S. to the city’s doorstep.

Luxury and Versatility: Landers and Pearlman Fur Co.

The second ad, for Landers and Pearlman Fur Co., located at 823-25 Washington Avenue, illustrates the wide variety of furs in fashion during the 1920s, from Hudson seal and mink to squirrel, mole, ermine, caracul, and muskrat. Highlighting services like remodeling older garments into contemporary designs, the ad appeals to the savvy modern woman who wanted to keep up with trends while maintaining practicality. This adaptability in fur fashion mirrored the societal shifts of the 1920s, as women’s roles and fashion tastes evolved.

Interestingly, Landers and Pearlman’s address was directly across from the iconic Hotel Statler (now the St. Louis Gateway Hotel)—a locale that enjoyed a constant stream of fashionable visitors, business professionals, and high-society patrons.

The International Fur Exchange Building: A St. Louis Landmark

Adding to St. Louis’s reputation as a major fur hub was the International Fur Exchange Building, located at 2 S. Fourth St., just blocks from Washington Avenue and the businesses of Leppert-Roos and Landers and Pearlman. Completed in 1919, the International Fur Exchange became a cornerstone of the fur trade, reinforcing St. Louis’s strategic significance in the global fur industry.

This striking Renaissance Revival-style building was home to some of the largest fur auctions in the world, where trappers, traders, and retailers came together to buy and sell furs sourced from across North America. It was here that raw pelts, from beaver and muskrat to fox and mink, were traded and distributed to furriers like those on Washington Avenue. At its peak, St. Louis’s International Fur Exchange handled millions of pelts annually, cementing the city’s role as an essential link between the fur-trapping regions of the country and the fashion markets that demanded these luxurious materials.

The building itself became a symbol of the fur industry’s economic and cultural importance. Business travelers and buyers attending auctions at the Fur Exchange added to the commercial vitality of downtown St. Louis, where retailers such as Leppert-Roos and Landers and Pearlman thrived.

Fur Coats: A Reflection of Roaring Twenties Glamour

Fur coats during the 1920s were more than just practical garments for cold weather; they were status symbols that reflected wealth, elegance, and modernity. Wearing fur represented not just warmth but also sophistication and participation in the rapidly evolving trends of the Jazz Age. For St. Louis, furs also highlighted the city’s notable contributions to American fashion, making it a central figure in the nationwide fur trade.

The Legacy of St. Louis’s Fur Industry

St. Louis, known as the “Gateway to the West,” was uniquely positioned to play such a prominent role in the fur trade. Its vibrant commerce, storied landmarks like the International Fur Exchange, and iconic retailers along Washington Avenue contributed to a golden age of luxury fashion. Today, pieces like these vintage advertisements serve as a window into that dazzling past, showcasing not only the artistry of fur design but also the critical place St. Louis held in the history of American fashion.

As we reflect on these advertisements, we’re reminded of a time when cities like St. Louis thrived as centers of ingenuity and glamour, shaping style trends for decades to come. Whether it was the meticulous craftsmanship of a Leppert-Roos fur coat or the wholesale trade at the International Fur Exchange, fur fashion was a defining feature of the era—and of this historic city.