The and ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University’s School of Fashion will bring science and style to the runway on Friday, Oct. 2, with Fashion & Feather: The Show, a student fashion show and cocktail party celebrating the culmination of the Museum’s Fashion & Feather exhibition.
Taking place from 7:30-9:30 p.m., the evening will feature more than 40 original pieces created by ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì fashion students, who drew inspiration from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s ornithology collection. Following the runway show, guests will be invited to enjoy cocktails and explore the exhibition, along with a special performance by Cleveland Ballet. Tickets are now on sale.
The event serves as the finale of a collaboration that has brought together natural history, historic fashion and contemporary design to explore the beauty, function and cultural significance of feathers.
Opened on Earth Day 2026, Fashion & Feather pairs ornithological specimens and cultural objects from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s research collections with feather-adorned garments and accessories from the ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University Museum’s historic fashion collection. Organized by species — including peacocks, ostriches, kingfishers and roosters — the exhibition examines both the remarkable roles feathers play in the natural world and the ways people have drawn upon them for ornamentation and design.
The museum exhibition was curated by Sara Hume, Ph.D., curator and professor at the ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University Museum, in partnership with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s exhibition team, including Meghan Strong, Ph.D., director of collections, and Lindsay Miller, exhibit project manager. The project grew out of For the Birds, an exhibition presented at the ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University Museum in 2018; this latest partnership reflected the museum’s expanded focus on community engagement and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
The exhibition also extended into the classroom. Drawing inspiration from historic fashion and natural history objects, students at ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì’s School of Fashion developed original biomimicry-inspired designs using non-animal fabrics and materials. The student works were created in the junior design studio led by Assistant Professor Daniel Fladung, alongside Lecturer Jackie Hughes, Senior Lecturer Archana Mehta and Professor Linda Ohrn-McDaniel. These works were then selected through a critique process conducted by staff from the ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, as well as the Portage Park District’s Education Program Coordinator Holly Stoneberg.
Fashion & Feather: The Show is sponsored by Plantscaping & Blooms.
Fashion & Feather remains on view at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History through Oct. 16. Portions of the exhibition are located in the Museum’s Visitor Hall, which is always free to the public; general admission is required to view the exhibition in Corning Gallery.
Event Information
Fashion & Feather: The Show
Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, from 7:30-9:30pm
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, Ohio
Leadership Circle: $20
Members: $25
Nonmembers: $30
ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University’s School of Fashion
Established in 1983 as ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University’s Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, the school is a research-led teaching institution that fosters industry excellence and is grounded in real-world industry experience. Through its programs and initiatives, it is developing the next generation of fashion thinkers to build a sustainable and fruitful industry that supports creative employment for years to come.
ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì is in the top 25 fashion programs in the world and the No. 1 university-based fashion program in the United States. Additionally, the graduate program for fashion is No. 5 in the United States. ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì’s School of Fashion boasts three undergraduate degrees in fashion design and merchandising, and a variety of programs for all students to grow creatively. Located in Kent, Ohio, the school offers several education-away programs, including New York City; Florence, Italy; Paris, France; and Hong Kong, China. From the school’s location in the Garment District, students studying in New York have a unique opportunity to work with industry leaders, explore the marketplace and gain experience with internships.
ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì the ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University Museum
The ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University Museum houses one of the world’s most important collections of fashion, textiles and decorative arts, spanning the mid-1700s to the present. With more than 30,000 objects and seven gallery spaces, the museum serves the university community and the broader public through exhibitions, research and object-based learning. To learn more, visit www.kent.edu/museum.
ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History illuminates the world around us and inspires visitors to engage with the natural forces that shape their lives. Since its founding in 1920, the Museum has pioneered scientific research to advance knowledge across diverse fields of study and used its outstanding collections, which encompass millions of artifacts and specimens, to deepen the public’s understanding of the dynamic connections between humans and nature. Through its Natural Areas Program, the Museum stewards more than 12,500 acres of protected ecosystems across northern Ohio. A community gathering place, educational center, and research institution, the Museum is a vital resource that serves Cleveland and the nation. For more information, visit .
