"Cauliflower Headpiece"

Deirdre Hawken

2013 · silk, cotton, synthetic, metal · Costume Institute

Couture milliner, Deirdre Hawken is known for surrealist designs incorporating lifelike representations of food, including ice cream, bean salads, and berry-topped pavlovas, rendered in silk satin, chiffon, and beads. This headpiece is a miniature head of cauliflower, with green ruffled outer leaves, crisp stalks, and hand-sewn pearl florets. Under six inches in diameter, the vegetable sits at an angle on the side of the head, secured by a hidden elastic strap. In subject and scale, this headpiece exemplifies Hawken’s fusion of playfulness and craftsmanship.

Artist

Deirdre Hawken

Date

2013

Medium

silk, cotton, synthetic, metal

Culture

British

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Deirdre Hawken, 2013