“The feathers do not make the bird,” as the saying goes, but South African feathers certainly made Lady Gaga’s performance at the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Paris.
The fashion house Dior bought the feathers for the outfits of Lady Gaga and her team, according to Pieter Liebenberg, head of feathers at Cape Karoo International.
“Customers from Italy, Spain and France regularly buy South Africa’s feathers from us,” he said. “We don’t necessarily know what they will do with the feathers, but we do know that some of the top fashion houses use them.”
Liebenberg said the feathers are harvested at the right time in the growth cycle of live birds according to strict standards that prioritise animal welfare.
“That’s why these exclusive clients buy our feathers, because they only want to use products obtained according to the best animal welfare practices.”
Adriaan Olivier, an operational veterinarian at the South African Ostrich Business Chamber, said the regulations are set out in the chamber’s standard, which insists on strict protocols on qualifying farms.
Liebenberg added that the white feathers are exported and clients dye them as needed.
John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture, posted on Facebook:
