This Animal Is Fashion’s Biggest Muse Right Now
It’s been a big month for birds
By Eva Wright | 5th February 2026Step aside cheetah print — there’s a new trend in town, and it’s here to ruffle feathers. Enter: birdcore.
Bold, feminine dressing has long borrowed from the animal kingdom — cheetahs, leopards, zebras, snakes (close enough). But in 2026, designers have officially shifted their gaze skyward.
Feathers have risen from their glitzy, Gatsby-era grave and flown straight onto our screens — and into the wardrobes of our favourite music stars — all within the span of a month. Consider it a full-blown feather frenzy.
A long-standing symbol of status, extravagance, and theatrical flair, feathers were always destined for a red-carpet comeback. Naturally, they ruled the 20206 Grammys red caprt. Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, Tyla, Kesha, Huntrix, and newly crowned Best New Artist Olivia Dean all took flight in feathered looks that ranged from subtle to show-stopping.
Think face-framing neck frills, cinched waists, metre-long trains, and flowing bodices.
We should’ve seen it coming. Just days earlier, Margot Robbie’s stylist Andrew Mukamal quietly ushered feathers onto the Wuthering Heights press tour. Robbie turned heads in a tastefully feathered Victoria Beckham white mini paired with a sleek black top — a perfect nod to dark romance with a modern twist. And she didn’t stop there: feathers continued to flutter across her tour looks, from a fiery Chanel red corset gown to a dramatic Maison Margiela jacket-and-skirt set.
That wardrobe moment has since earned its own microtrend: Brontë-core. Think gothic elegance, Renaissance drama, moody silhouettes — and now, feathers. Very windswept, very tortured heroine, very fashion.
Leading the flock? Schiaparelli. The house spread its wings in its Spring/Summer 2026 Haute Couture collection, The Agony & Ecstasy, blending brutalist shapes with nature-led motifs and animal silhouettes. The result was dramatic, expressive, and unapologetically bold — proof that birdcore has serious fashion clout.
This isn’t the flapper-era feather boa redux you might expect. Today’s birdcore trades excess for intention: darker palettes, sharper tailoring, and feathers used as punctuation rather than costume. Less Gatsby cosplay, more atmospheric allure.
So, ready to ruffle a few feathers of your own? Here’s where to shop the look — from subtle trims to full plumage.
Imagery: @andrewmukamal, @kesha, @schiaparelli
