Former model Maisie Waller has launched her own fashion label

From bow ties and brooches to hair clips and hats, these unique accessories are made entirely from birds’ feathers.

And the brains behind the creations is former model Maisie Waller.

In 2001 Maisie appeared on millions of TV screens when she reached the final of a reality TV competition.

Aged just 17, the teenager was picked from thousands of hopefuls down to the final five in Channel 4’s catwalk challenge Model Behaviour. She lived in a £2million home with the finalists all vying to win a modelling contract with Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell’s top agency.

But the 29-year-old, who modelled in Africa and reached the final of an Evian Beauty competition, now has a successful fashion business Loose Feathers and she hopes one day her designs will feature on the catwalk.

However it was by chance when Maisie was preparing a pheasant to eat with her family the idea came to her.

She explained: “I’ve always been interested in design and being creative. I had a hunt ball coming up and I was determined to customise an old corset.

“I was plucking some birds for food and I just thought there are so many different feathers on a pheasant and what a waste to throw them away. I decided I was going to try to do something with them and with that I decorated the entire front of the corset in rows of feathers.

“The guy I was going with said ‘everyone will be looking at you, what am I going to go in?’ “I wondered what could I possibly make for a guy but then that’s where the bow tie thing came in.

“Everyone at the ball asked where they could get them from and it was at that point I realised I was onto something.”

Now Maisie, who works at the High Corner Inn, in Linwood, near Ringwood and manages her parents farm where they break in New Forest ponies, regularly, receives orders for her designs which are now stocked in Lambert & Wiltshire Gunsmiths, in Ringwood.

Her collection features unusual plumes from pheasants, hens, goose, woodcock, and even some blue feathers from volturine guinea fowl from northern Kenya which Maisie collected during time spent working abroad.

Maisie’s designs have been met with some criticism with people questioning if she is using animals killed for their feathers.

However Maisie stresses the feathers are by-products and the birds are never killed for their plumes.

Maisie said she is often given feathers and has even plucked feathers from her family’s rare chickens which have been killed by foxes.

The former design and sustainable product development student, said: “Some people have said how lovely they are, however I don’t think people really associate feathers with actually being from a bird.

“I get people saying ‘oh do you buy the feathers?’ and when I say ‘no actually there’s a story behind them’ that’s too much information for them.

“I suppose I’m so used to living in the countryside and plucking a bird before you eat it rather than buying it from the supermarket is just a way of life for me, it’s normal.

“For example we wanted to have a goose for our dinner so we ensured we got an entire goose. I do get the job of plucking it but it does mean I can keep the feathers and then we use it.

“If I didn’t use the feathers, they would be wasted.

“I think it is very alien to many people however generally people are interested they are from different birds.”

In fact Maisie is so passionate about her products she believes the accessories help to celebrate the beauty of the birds.

Maisie, who said the products appeal to country people and fashion-conscious City people wanting to make a statement, explained: “Pheasants are so common but actually when you put them in a different setting, the feathers become something completely different. Hopefully more people will be able to appreciate the beauty of the pheasant rather than see it as a bird that just runs across in front of the road.

She added: “I do look at pheasants in a different way now. To me, they are more than a bird because having done this I can appreciate just how many feathers they have and how beautiful they are.

“I just enjoy doing it and if other people can appreciate it then all the more better.”

*For information go to loosefeathers.co.uk.

Or go to Loose Feathers on Facebook.