Birds Of A Feather...

Seen all over the Paris runways in 2010, the feather trend is huge right now. Looking at this season’s garments covered in lustrous feathers—seen on every runway from Ann Demeulemeester to Givenchy—you might not suspect that the feather’s first fashion debut was on a men's hats in ancient Babylon. Journalist Caroline Weber from the New York Times, traces the origins of the feather trend here.

The feather was first worn by men in the form of decorative headgear:

In the ancient patriarchies of Babylon (2105-1240 B.C.) and Assyria (1200-540 B.C.), plumes mingled with palm fronds in sacred headgear for men. In medieval Europe, feathers featured principally on the metal helmets (heaumes) that men donned for war. Because their heaumes hid their faces, knights needed a means of distinguishing friend from foe in a split second. Feathers also came in handy when the knight tried his luck with the ladies. Based on the era’s protocol for ‘‘courtly’’ love — which served, in a brutish age, to separate the gentleman from the savage — a suitor wore feathers in his damsel’s special colors when he jousted or did battle, albeit with no guarantee of currying favor. (Weber)

PC: [deannadibene]
Now, feathers have appeared on everything from tailored jackets to miniskirts to shoes! Feathers are going to be a huge fall trend and we must admit, here at Qi we're loving them! Edgy yet opulent, the feather provides a striking contrast against our luxe cashmere basics. Our holiday 2010 collection features simple silhouettes that are enhanced by the luminous feather details.




Will you be wearing this stylish look that has deep roots in fashion history?