Fashion & Feather: A Collaboration between Kent State University and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Fashion & Feather is a collaborative exhibition on view at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History created in partnership with the Kent State University Museum and the Kent State School of Fashion. The exhibition explores the intricate beauty, cultural significance, and functional marvels of feathers. Organized by species, including peacocks, ostriches, kingfishers, and roosters, it pairs ornithological specimens and cultural objects from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s collection with feather-adorned garments and accessories from the Kent State University Museum’s world-renowned historic fashion collection, as well as contemporary student designs. Altogether, these displays showcase the vital functions of feathers for avian species, how humans have drawn inspiration from birds for fashion and artistic innovation, and simultaneously emphasize the complex relationship between humans and nature.