The Giraffe Mania of 1827 London - Animals in Fashion

In August 1827, a giraffe calf arrived on the shores of England after an arduous journey as a diplomatic gift by Muhammad Ali of Egypt to King George IV. Housed in George IV's menagerie in London, the giraffe instantly became a sensation. Becoming the talk of the town, the young giraffe ignited a fascination that influenced everything from home decoration to fashion to hairstyles – rather like the worldwide viral popularity of pygmy hippo Moo Deng born 10 July 2024 in Si Racha, Thailand, this year.

Giraffes were only known by report and pictures in Europe at the time. The last living giraffe in Europe had arrived in the 1480s, gifted to Lorenzo de'Medici to improve international relations between Florence and the Ottoman Turks.

Actually having one in the country in 1827 with its unusual appearance — the towering neck, spotted coat, and graceful movements — captivated the British public. Although the giraffe, worn out by the long journey to Europe, was tended to at Windsor Castle and not visible to the public, images of her were made and spread. 

From the moment she arrived, the little giraffe became not just a new inhabitant of the menagerie but far beyond that a symbol of luxury and the far-away. Reports and paintings of the time highlight her delicate frame and the mystique of her appearance. In that, the giraffe exactly appealed to followers of the Romantic era. Artists, writers, and the print media of the day quickly latched on to the image of the giraffe. Newspaper articles, books, and illustrations about her were published widely. Local businesses saw the commercial potential: giraffe-themed merchandise became popular, with everything from prints to fine china. But the giraffe craze didn’t stop at art and merchandise — it infiltrated fashion as well.

The Mode à la girafe sprang up. Fabrics in shades and spotted prints inspired by the tall animal became available. The hairstyles of the 1820s, high and sculptural with hairpieces, were perfectly suited to referencing the horns of giraffes. Consequently, the fashionistas of London and beyond styled their hair parted in the middle and arranged in two high hair-loops together with wavy curls framing the side of the face. People demonstrated their taste, up-to-date information on cultural events and trend-setting suavity in dressing inspired by the giraffe. That societal and cultural moments make their way into dress, as a public representation of individuals and their consciousness of self, has long been seen and is still happening today. The rosy cheeks of pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng were almost instantly picked up by a make-up brand producing a shade of blush inspired by and named after the moisturised marauder. Whereas the Moo Deng blush circulated on social media, the 1800s giraffe mania spread via the ferocious print culture of the 19th century. The more things change, the more they stay the same.