The case of Fish skin, a historical material assimilated as an innovative sustainable material for fashion.

This chapter is a study of northern indigenous fish skin heritage and builds connections among anthropology, ethnography, and material culture to address current global issues of fashion sustainability. It critically examines the historical application of the fish-skin craft and investigates the relationship of Arctic indigenous people with fish and the environment, fish skin fashion in the Arctic, the importance of women and fish skin art, the disappearance of the craft. The case study of the fashion designer John Galliano’s use of fish leather for garments in his Autumn/Winter 2002 collection is presented, situating the use of fish leather within the context of the luxury industry.