How to be a Plume princess

After the Cannes red carpet was overrun by feathers this year, experts advise you on how to get the look without looking like Big Bird. Read on for more.

Birds of a feather flocked together at the Cannes red carpet this year. Stars, from Uma Thurman in a virginal white gown bedecked with ostrich feathers to Mallika Sherawat in her hyper-plumed contraption, opted for feathers over sequins and jewels.

Falguni of designer duo Shane and Falguni Peacock has been using feathers to dress up their over-the-top garments since 2005, a style that recently caught the eye of Britney Spears. “For her new music video ‘Hold it against me’, we created two outfits. One was festooned with pink feathers while the other had a combination of purple and black,” she reveals, adding, “Adding feathers to a garment does give a rockstar feel to it. But you need to wear it aesthetically unless you want to look garish.”

According to Peacock, the most commonly used plumes are ostrich feathers, while short spotted feathers are next up on the list. Jewellery designer Bansri Mehta has been using feathers in her headgear that she designs under her label Bansri Joaillerie: “I use them in headbands which I intertwine with ribbons and net. They look like mini hats, the kind you’d wear to a derby.”

Mehta insists that despite plumes seeming outrageous, they are actually quite feminine, explaining, “Wearing a feathered headband or hair piece adds dimension to the mane, and it is also soft and chic.”

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