Thursday 19 January 2012

The feather in fashion: 1920s, 1970s and beyond

I have recently come across some great blogs covering the feather's influence in fashion.


From the Queens of Vintage:


"The result is that right now, feathers are everywhere. From pantomimic peacock plumes to demure hen feathers, plumage has been spotted on catwalks and red carpets alike, establishing itself as the fashionista’s staple accessory"




From Ecosalon:


"A naive touch, like wearing a feather in your hair, appears to me to connect to our collective sense of hope for a better world right now – or perhaps, a heart’s desire to fly far away from unnecessary war, regressive politics and environmental devastation"




From the 1920s elegantly styled feather dresses and boas to the bohemian style of the 1970s, and burlesque dancers, it seems a little bird can make an impact on humans. 


Just like furs, feathers can also come under the same scrutiny by the public and activists when used in everyday fashion. What often is overlooked by fashionistas is where the feathers come from, they just care about how they look.


Everyone purchasing feathers by designers or for their craft, need to understand where the feathers come from and how the birds are treated in the process. In my case if the supplier can't tell me these details I don't use them. 


While I agree with the ideas behind this blog. It doesn't cover the process of collecting feathers from naturally moulting birds. This is the process I favour with my creations. However, if a bird lives a happy long life and then the feathers are used, there is no harm, it is a tribute to the fine creature's existence to give the feathers a second life.