The Santa Barbara Natural History Museum showcases sustainability and environmental consciousness in their fascinating new exhibit, Fashion Fatale: The Human Obsession with Feathers. This colorfully creative exhibition features a diverse array of feathered historic pieces of clothing and accessories.
In collaboration with the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, the exhibit aims to promote a sustainable future. The archival apparel shown is sustainable through its natural elements of collection and assemblage. The museum wants guests to take away three main themes from experiencing this wonder: the importance of fashion, history, and conservation. Through its close observation, one can learn more about the history of environmental impacts to birds and the preservation of their species.
Santa Barbara Natural History Museum Director of Exhibits Melinda Morgan Stowell explains that, “We invite our guests to enjoy the amazing pieces our partners have provided for the exhibit as they explore impressions and opinions about both past and present fashion trends, and how our individual decisions affect the natural world.” This exhibit’s message is more than just the work itself, but rather a call to action for us, the people who interact with nature and a fragile environment.
Each piece is uniquely creative, and shows how valued resourcefulness and mindfulness can be carried throughout history. In this day and age of overconsumption and endless trend cycles when it comes to fashion, sometimes the best thing to do is make do with what is already available to you. It is important to stop draining our world of its precious resources to make more clothes for more people and this exhibit shows that this is possible.
Fashion Fatale: The Human Obsession with Feathers is on view through September 7. For more information, see sbnature.org/visit/exhibitions/98/fashion-fatale.
