Integrating taxidermy and fashion might come as a shock, but it’s nothing new in the designer world. German designer Iris Schieferstein released a shoe collection earlier this year featuring horse hooves, stuffed doves, and snakes, while the widely praised Alexander McQueen struck fans with antlers, bird cadavers, and adorned dresses with pheasant feathers in his fall '06 collection. Sure, it may take the riskier of fashion forwards like Lady Gaga (who also wore a dress made out of raw meat) to be the first wearing these eccentric pieces, but who says they won’t become more of an ongoing trend if you're down with, say, fur.
Divya Anantharaman, Miami native and recent winner on Lifetime’s 24 Hour Catwalk, is the next in line to release a taxidermy fashion line, complete with bunny slippers and white mouse pumps. Starting as a hobby, Anantharaman integrated her passion for fashion design with her fix for taxidermy after stuffing her first mouse four years ago, and has been mesmerized by the practice ever since. Her winnings from 24 Hour Catwalk are finally letting her dream become a reality with the launch of her shoe collection (word on the street for potential names of the collection includes “Ampoule” or “Friends Forever”), set to release in just two months. Are you down to try out this trend, or does it have you clinging to your pet kitten? Please, we need to know. (Observer)
Photo: Via The Observer and "Butterfly", Courtesy of Divya Anantharaman