Reversible Dove Necklace (or When Accidental Haute Couture Is Possible Thanks to Gruau and to Sanderson Fabrics)

I rarely get inspired by just one thing when I sit down to create something.

For a while I've been mesmerised by a René Gruau advert for Dior's lipsticks from the late '40s featuring an elegant woman in a bright red lipstick being gently pecked on her lips by a stylised white dove.

Yet the latter rather than making me think about the current animal trend, brought back memories of Henry James' novel The Wings of the Dove and the eponymous film taken from the book, directed by Iain Softley and featuring Sandy Powell's rich costumes.

How to combine all these inspirations together (stylised minimalism, whiteness and rich costumy inspirations), I thought, without spending a fortune but re-using plenty of leftovers from other personal projects?

Solution came after staring for too long at some white leather and at a small pile of interior design fabrics by Sanderson.

The latter is one of the oldest surviving English brand in the interior design and decorating fields (it's over 150 years old, since it was founded in 1860…) and it's also renowned for supplying fabrics, paint and wallcoverings to the Queen and the British Royal Palaces.

Among the Sanderson fabrics I had left there were some lovely bits and pieces in pastel shades from its "Blossom Tree" series.

I picked a pink one in silk and a pale blue one in cotton coming up with this reversible dove necklace, with one side in white leather and the other decorated with interior design fabrics.

I must admit I'm pretty happy with the final results, especially because the fabric version, once matched with its own Sanderson textiles skirt, looks like a Haute Couture piece (though it costs a tiny fraction compared to a Haute Couture design…).

Looks like this may be the first case of "accidental Haute Couture" I create, but while I enjoy it, why don't you try and experiment a bit with interior design fabrics and other assorted leftovers?