Long Leather Coats
In the late 1700’s, French and Indian trappers intermarried with Native women from local tribes. Their descendents formed a distinctive society called the Metis, with their own language, art and clothing styles. Metis leather coats were similar to that of the Euro-North Americans, tailored to fit closely to the body, but manufactured from the skins of game animals. Leather, unlike European cloth was durable, water resistant and suited to life on the prairie.
Our leather coats show the influence of two different worlds, combining the cut and fit of men’s European designs with the artistic qualities of the Native people, who often decorated their pieces with painted or beaded floral or geometric patterns. They are made of the finest deerskin for durability, comfort and beauty and are a wonderful example of the artistic interaction of two different cultures.
