Kent State School of Fashion students contribute designs for "Fashion & Feather" exhibition

Kent State University Museum and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History have partnered with the Kent State School of Fashion to present “Fashion & Feather,” a cross-disciplinary exhibition exploring the cultural, scientific and design significance of feathers.

The exhibition opens on Earth Day and runs from April 22 to October 16 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. It combines historic fashion pieces, ornithological specimens, cultural artefacts and contemporary student designs to examine the relationship between fashion and the natural world.

Organised by species, including Peacock, Ostrich, Kingfisher and Rooster, the exhibition pairs taxidermy mounts and research objects with feather-adorned garments from the Kent State University Museum’s historic fashion collection. This approach highlights both the functional role of feathers in nature and their adaptation for human adornment.

Curated by Sara Hume in collaboration with the Cleveland Museum’s exhibition team, the project builds on a previous 2018 exhibition titled For the Birds and reflects a growing focus on interdisciplinary collaboration.

The initiative also extends into the classroom. Students from the Kent State School of Fashion created biomimicry-inspired designs using non-animal materials, developed under faculty including Daniel Fladung. Selected works will be displayed in the museum’s Corning Gallery.

A related student fashion show connected to “Fashion & Feather” is planned for fall 2026, with details to be announced.