The Hour

Most of us would drive straight past roadkill, but when James Faulkner sees a dead bird or other animal at the side of the road his mind immediately springs to how he can use it in his latest hat creation.

The fine art and art history graduate is a wannabe milliner, making all sorts of weird and wonderful headwear from dead animals and other item he finds lying around.

“It all started when a friend of mine wanted a hat for a wedding and she told me she was going to be wearing black and white,” he explained. “And one day a friend of mine pointed out there was a magpie lying at the side of the road and I didn’t have much money for materials, so I picked up the bird and made it into a hat."

James uses all sorts of items from birds and animals, including by-products of the meat industry and roadkill including woodcocks and pheasants.

And he thinks that far from being distasteful, his work is actually a fitting tribute to many of these animals.  He said: “I initially stared because I didn’t have that much money for materials and there’s things lying at the side of the road - why not use them and give them a second life?”

He added: “Some of the pieces have been made from the birds I got from the butchers, and I’ve plucked them - and those feathers normally get thrown away. I feel I’ve got a kind of native Indian approach to using the animal, using every part of it.”

Pop star Lady Gaga was recently spotted wearing a cape made out of goat fur and beetle wings, so it looks like the trend for clothes and accessories made from the by-products of animals is catching on.

And James, who is currently studying a course in millinery at Edinburgh’s Telford College, is certainly busy with orders from keen punters, having made unusual headwear for events including weddings, garden parties and even Burns Suppers!

Find out more about James and where his work is being showcased by visiting the website www.noiredinburgh.blogspot.com . Please note this is a fashion website and some of the material and images featured is of an adult nature.