In “Fur Wearing Ladies” dreamy images offer a poetic and thoughtful view on beauty and ethics. They portray elegant yet fierce women, each with a vivacious allure in their chosen accessory. The fur’s softness contrasts with the smoothness of human skin, creating a warmth that feels almost tangible. Skin-to-skin contact plays a subtle but important role.
Photographed in a ton-sur-ton setting, where skin tones, the colours of bold garments, and the fur seamlessly blend into a powdery backdrop, the images give a restrained and timeless atmosphere. This deliberate choice deviates from a more straightforward and conventional use of complementary colours, focusing instead on the nuances of powdery tones.
Cuddliness—and thus fur—recurs throughout her work and finds its natural origins in her environment: animals that were always “part of the clan”. Pelts and furs, strokable in all their variations, reflect the distinct nature of their species. A fascination with the work of Meret Oppenheim (e.g., “Le Déjeuner en Fourrure”, 1936 and the poem “Zanzibar”, 1933), once resulted in a thesis. In an analog work, the hair of her dog was blown up and captured in an oversized quadriptych, which, when exhibited, reminded viewers of a warm fireplace. In her spatial work, ‘Sensitive Case’, one is gently caressed by textures of softness, creating an intimate yet contemplative tactile experience. All this fur is never abstract, but tactile and full of spirit—Pure “Soulful Fur”.
In contrast, there is “Soulless Fur” : equally soft to the touch, but lifeless. Consider the inherited ocelot coat hanging on a peg or the fox stole worn at a gala. The wearer is challenged to carry these adornments with spirit and glamour, but after the festivities, they hang on the rack, still soft and strokable, yet devoid of soul.
These contrasts form the foundation of a new interpretation of fur. The love for animal pelts—their softness, warmth, and wearability—is illuminated here from a different perspective. However, this series is not about making a statement or stirring controversy. Instead, it reflects on intimacy, tactility, and the unique connection between the wearer and her lively accessory.
With Fur Wearing Ladies Letty stays true to her signature style of raw romanticism and sensuous subtleties.