Feathers in couture fashion are taking flight once again in the spring 2026 couture collections from Chanel, Dior, Guo Pei and Schiaparelli, elevating the collections to new heights. The delicate, specialized technique handled by plumassiers, or feather specialists, rose to prominence in modern-day millinery and fashion for day and evening — faux and real — in the early 1900s.
Feathers in brooches, hats and dress styles added just the right amount of drama during the height of the Art Deco era, and were optimal alternative than fur. Women’s Wear Daily promoted feathers in the Gay 90s as simply “a phase of formality,” making note of Coco Chanel’s bird-shaped toque and iconic feather-embroidered gown, worn and owned by socialite Barbara Hutton in the 1930s.
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In 1998, when feathers reemerged in full “flights of fantasy,” WWD ceased the momentum featuring Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexander McQueen for Givenchy couture collections side-by-side on its cover.
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McQueen, enamored with the technique, would continue to feature feathers in his collections. The results welcome complimentary to the drama of fashion storytelling.
Today, as a new crop of talented designers reinterpret this timeless element, we’re taking a look back at some of the iconic designs that brought feathers’ ethereal beauty to couture’s most unforgettable moments.