From Big Bird to Beyoncé: How NYC’s last remaining feather shop has adorned Broadway, Hollywood and beyond for over a century
NY Post
One shop in a fading industry has feathered the storm.
When Dersh Feather first opened in 1918, there were five prominent plume businesses in NYC’s Garment District — but these birds of a feather didn’t get to flock together forever.
Now, more than a century later, the West 37th Street staple is the last of its kind standing.
The fifth-generation family business has grown to become the main supplier for Broadway, entertainment and fashion — think the closely-watched Victoria’s Secret shows, or the beloved “Sesame Street,” another New York institution.
Yes, Big Bird wears the same plumage as Beyoncé — specifically, her 2012 Met Gala gown.
As for the giant yellow bird, the “Sesame Street” icon has had its feathers sourced from Dersh since at least 2009 — if not much longer than that, records were kept by hand for far too long, owner Shalom Dershowitz said — and most recently zhuzhed up in April.
