Dating back to the 17th and 18th century the craft of processing feathers in Paris was limited to the feather workers or plumassiers who had their own Guild. An apprentice had to work in the business for six years and produce a masterpiece before he could become a master.
The plumassier was considered to be a craftsman who used raw materials in an object or fashion accessory. The first step was to clean the feathers – using soap or another detergent such as clay. After the feathers had dried they were sorted and, if necessary, dyed or bleached. Because feathers consist of protein (keratin) they are easy to dye with a natural dye using the same technique that is used for wool and silk.
The most common species that were used were ostrich, peacock and heron. Ostrich feathers used to be extremely expensive, but in the 19th century the number of peacocks increased spectacularly – peaking at the beginning of the 20th century. Most ostrich feathers came from ostrich farms in South Africa. Since the second half of the 19th century increasingly more bird species were used, both European ones and the more exotic species. London was the capital of the feather trade.
Paris formed and still forms the bulwark of feather processing. Here you can also find the Maison Lemarié. Maison Lemarié, founded in Paris in 1880 that make feather creations for numerous top Haute Couture collections. Maison Lemarié specializes in processing and applying feathers and creating artificial flowers and has opened its doors exclusively for the exhibition Birds of Paradise with exclusive shots of the atelier and exquisite samples of feather work testify to the magnificent mastery of this house and to the virtuosity of its plumassiers. In some abstract patterns and applications feathers are unrecognizable. This demonstrates the high level of technical expertise and the innovative methods used to process feathers.