Real life dress up plays out on the red carpet and Summer styles elevate fantasy and fun. What better way to get red carpet ready that with some ostrich or peacock feathers. While tulle, neon, and oversized brimmed hats have been all over the red carpet and runway, we’re also seeing a resurgence of ostrich and peacock feather used in creation by fashion designers and subsequently worn on red carpets and to events by celebrities, influencers, and style icons. Everyone from Christian Siriano to Parabal Gurung used the lightweight textile within their collection. However, do you know the history of how it came to be and was popularized?
Ostrich feathers as textile material for clothing and ensembles has a history rooted in Africa. At the very tip of the continent, located in South Africa, is the town of Oudtshoorn. This is referenced as the Ostrich Capital of the World. In the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. the use of ostrich feathers were prevalent in fashion, particularly the UK and Europe. The feather prices got to be so high, they were worth more than their weight in gold!
The dexterity and light weight of the feathers made them easy to transport and export. The high prices that the commodity commanded led to transforming a farming community into the upper echelon. In order to display (and spend) their newfound wealth, they would create these Ostrich Feather Palaces. You can view these mansions with embellished stained windows if you visit.
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So the next time you see a dress embellished with ostrich feathers, you can know that the trend was made possible by Africa! Click through our gallery to see the textile and other feathered fashion on some of your favorite Black and Latina actresses.
