Will fake feathers fly? Fashion experiments with a cruelty-free future

A model presents a creation by Stella McCartney as part of Paris Fashion Week. The designer has long been championing for cruelty-free fashion, one aspect being the use of faux feathers. Photo: AFP

British fashion designer Stella McCartney is showcasing plant-based alternatives to real feathers in her latest collection, as the animal-rights campaigner takes on the "barbaric" farming of birds for clothing.

"I've been having the conversation about not killing cows and goats and snakes or any living animal to be made into a shoe or handbag in my industry for over 30 years," McCartney said after her show during Paris Fashion Week..