When Birds Die and Go To Fashion Heaven

A recent post by The Coveted got me thinking about the use of taxidermy in fashion and art. Would I want to own something made from a deceased bird? No. Do the pieces bother me? A little. Am I against it? Not if they died a natural death. The choice to resurrect and preserve a creature that has passed on is really up to the person preserving it. If the designer can find beauty and inspiration in something akin to roadkill -- well, to each his own. (Now, killing them just for art is a different story. Don't even get me started.) Your thoughts?

Bird Necklace from Julia deVille exhibit collection

"Death is a taboo subject. We're so obsessed with looking young, finding ways to prolong life. We need to remember that every day is important, life is important. I want to inspire people to contemplate their own mortality, in a positive way. I'm not a morbid person, but I'm not afraid of acknowledging that I'm mortal." - Julia deVille, discemori.com

Blackbird necklace from This Must Be Made By Idiots collection

“Animals are reborn to remind people of the life they lived, but also to suggest an alternative history, in which they rule the world. The resemblance to the archetypes known from fables and fairytails is obvious. From a similar moral perspective Idiots criticizes the contemporary way of life, although the representation of these famous stories is not the duo’s main aspiration. If one can speak of a certain objective in Idiots’ art it is to bring people closer to an honest perception of reality pictured through a lens of critical fantasy.” - This Must Be Made By Idiots, idiots.nl

Bird necklace from The Recycled Dead collection

Feathered taxidermy models featuring Karen Walker jewellery

Ariel sculpture from Jessica Joslin 'Curiosa' collection