Stella McCartney SS26
By Nicole Rivard
If anyone can create THE plant-based feather that could move the fashion industry beyond the archaic exploitation and killing of wild birds for their feathers, the issue that’s at the heart of Friends of Animals’ new, provocative ad campaign, its textile artist Nicola Woollon and James West, founder of a London-based marketing and strategy agency.
While technically, they are still deep in development of Fevvers, the patent-pending, pioneering, plant-based alternative to real feathers used in high fashion and luxury design, which they launched in June 2025, they are refining strength, flexibility, and finish — and Fevvers have already made its runway debut!
Fevvers were showcased at designer Stella McCartney’s Summer 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week in October of 2025. There they were in her grand finale—soft, ethereal pastels, animating corseted gowns and bodices.
Elegance without animal cruelty.
Fevvers resemble ostrich feathers. Ostrich feathers are the most commonly used of all wild bird feathers in the fashion industry. They are particularly popular due to their softness, durability and ability to hold vibrant dyes. It is estimated that more than one million ostriches are killed each year for fashion.
“When Nicola took the sample to Stella’s team, we were thinking it would be a good route but imagined it would be a year-long partnership at the very least before we brought anything to the world,” West told Friends of Animals.
“But Stella said, ‘We have to do it now. Immediately. Straight up, let’s get it on the catwalk. I don’t want to wait,’ Woollon added. “We weren’t expecting that!”
Woollon pointed out that because McCartney prioritizes the environment and animals ahead of design, her palette and material selection is limited.
“So, when she saw Fevvers, she was so excited because finally she could do something that was super fun and still cruelty free,” Woollon said. “After years and years of limiting herself, she had access to this material that no one else did.”
“Every season, we’re told that [birds’] suffering is the price of fashion. I refuse to believe that. That’s why I am beyond excited to be working with Fevvers,” McCartney said in a statement about Fevvers.
She even wore one of her Fevvers dresses to the Met Gala in May.
“The innovation is just insanely beautiful, and we have created some of the most striking couture pieces I have ever seen. It’s not only the world’s first plant-based feather alternative, but it’s also proof that brands who continue to use feathers are choosing cruelty over creativity.”
CREATIVITY OVER CRUELTY TAKES FLIGHT
Woollon has worked as an embroidery designer in the UK, Europe, and India for more than 10 years. And since the beginning, there has been a request from designers for an alternative to feathers because the killing of birds for fashion has always had some opposition.
She noted that while there’s been quite a lot of work done using fabric and threads and digital printing, attempts to replace feathers have fallen short.
Even though they weren’t planning on being on the runway just a few months after launching, West said the traction Fevvers obtained after was “gold dust.”
“It forced us to get out there. And it blew up the internet. We had inquiries from every leading fashion house you’d expect. It’s been fantastic for our fundraising round,” West said.
Fevver’s team is now focused on fundraising and collaborations. Though its manufacturing centered at a UK micro production facility, they’d like to expand manufacturing relationships to embroidery hubs like India, Romania and Japan.
They’re also prioritizing a handful of innovation agreements with key brands in the UK, EU and USA. They will work with the brands to ensure consumers know no birds were harmed in the making of the garments, which Save the Duck brand does brilliantly.
“Save the Duck’s labelling and marketing clearly expresses to consumers the company’s intent, to produce quality garments that don’t harm ducks or geese. We think that should be a model for other fashion brands that shun animal products for fashion,” said Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals.
West agrees. He said that if anyone has expertise they want to share, or if anyone likes the vibe of what Fevvers is doing, get in touch.
Certainly, Cate Blanchett fancies their vibe. She wore Fevvers in a Stella McCartney design to the BAMBI awards in Munich last year.
West said the tone of the media coverage, from W Magazine to Harper’s Bazaar was unmistakable: something new has landed.
To inquire about fundraising or collaborating, visit fevvers.com.