Behold the Bird of Fortune: A Scarf That’s Literally Made of Cash
February 19, 2014
At MM.LaFleur, we love a wardrobe that’s rooted in understated, versatile pieces. But every now and then, a girl needs some flair. Enter the Bird of Fortune—a silk-and-modal scarf that blurs the boundaries between fashion, art, and commerce. It’s a scarf, it’s a collage, it’s also… a pile of cut-up cash? Yes, yes, and yes.
To create this provocative piece, we collaborated with artist Mark Wagner, who created the design using deconstructed dollar bills. The result? A an eye-catching accessory that cleverly taps into the zeitgeist of NYC.
Below, we chatted with Mark about the making of the Bird of Fortune.
How did you develop the design for this scarf?
I’m drawn to repeated elements in my work, and the peacock’s plumage offered an excellent opportunity. It was a challenge to make such a fluid, organic form out of such an inorganic material.
I was also thinking about appearance and what you can tell about a person at first glance. The things you surround yourself with—the artwork on your wall, clothing, consumer products—all act as signifiers in presenting your image. A peacock is a perfect symbol for this.
How much work goes into an intricate design like this?
An image like the peacock probably takes a total of three or four weeks of work to execute. It is made entirely from dissected dollar bills that are cut up and glued by hand. There were probably 50 or 60 one-dollar bills cut up for this piece.
This was your first foray into fashion. What did you think?
I’ve been wanting to become more active in the world of applied arts. The process has been a pleasure, and I’m thrilled with the results. Of course, there are rewards in making a piece of fine art that hangs in a museum or sells for a high price in a gallery. But it is also nice to make something that can reach more people and become a more personal, useful, interactive object for those people.
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Dressed up or dressed down, it’s been so exciting to see how women (and men) are wearing the Bird of Fortune all over NYC and beyond.
