I am currently writing an essay on the use of feathers in fashion and need to find information on how feathers are obtained and how people feel about their growing popularity as a form of decoration on many fashion house pieces. Do people think it is ok or do people think wearing feathers is the same as wearing fur?
Many thanks Hannah
Hello Hannah
You might be interested to know that the RSPB was originally started by ladies protesting at the killing of birds for their feathers. This was back in late Victorian, early Edwardian times (I'm not so hot with dates !), when big hats with very extravagant feathers (half a bird) were the norm for ladies of the upper classes. Millions of birds were slaughtered for their feathers, I believe some hats even had the whole bird, stuffed, as decoration. This was leading to the endangerment of some well feathered species & resulted in the ladies who liked birds alive & flying protesting & shaming other feather wearing ladies to give up their feathered hats. I'm sure there is more to it than that, but that's the bare bones of why the RSPB was originally founded. Might be worth emailing the RSPB & asking for some more info on it.
Anyway, feathers cannot be removed enmasse from a bird without suffering or death, either of which would be very much against the philosophy of any true bird lover, whether very ameteur, like me, or a professional twitcher. I am sure there are some sad people who still enjoy stuffed birds, killing for plumage, etc., just as there are still egg collectors out there. I suspect the bird meat industry, chicken, goose, turkey, duck, other game birds, etc. look to make some money out of their feathery by-products and maybe some of these are dyed and used in fashion. I very much doubt that the feathers used from wild birds are innocently picked up on country walks !
Good luck with the essay. Hope this helps.
Bella