"Cauliflower" headpiece

2013

Not on view

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.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Exhibition History

Title: "Cauliflower" headpiece
Designer: Deirdre Hawken (British, born Reading, 1945–2025)
Date: 2013
Culture: British
Medium: silk, cotton, synthetic, metal
Credit Line: Gift of Deirdre Hawken, 2013
Object Number: 2013.193
Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute

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