Flower Mosaick
We’re always looking for that little story that opens up a new world to us. We found it with a chance reference to someone named Mary Delany. Her 18th century flower art brought her late-in-life renown. And continues to inspire the floral-patterned silks we wear from Jane’s Vanity.
To find out more, we read The Paper Garden: An Artist (Begins Her Life’s Work) at 72 by Molly Peacock (Bloomsbury Pub., 2010). And learned the story of Mrs. Delany’s tissue paper floral collages. She created them in England from 1772-1783, using hand coloration, razor-sharp scissors, flour and water paste. The results were of such botanical accuracy that it was difficult for her contemporaries to tell the paper image from the real flowers she used as models. People began to send her specimens to copy, and her Flower Mosaick collection grew to 985 pieces (now held at the British Museum). But there is more. Mrs. Delany’s play of light, her inky backgrounds (which she painted herself), and the sensuality of her compositions give her work an amazingly contemporary look. One is reminded of the splashy botanical wallpaper designs of mid-20th century decorator Dorothy Draper. Or JV’s floral lingerie!
For example Temperley London’s Aphrodite Silk Pajama and Robe are crafted from a fantastical floral design on black. Large white cosmos flowers dance before a garden scene of trellises, monkeys, leopards with umbrellas, wisteria, gazebos, architectural detail, and so on. Both pieces have a vintage 1940s feel. The pajamas are glamorous enough to wear out for cocktails. The robe is seductively trimmed with black lace and open down the front with just a hook-and-eye closure at the waist.
And speaking of Mrs. Delany’s use of bright flowers on black, British lingerie designer, Emma Harris offers a variation on the technique with her Kalea Lingerie Set, Slip, and Camisole Set. Her inspiration comes from a special black lace that is lavishly decorated with green foliar embroidery and perfect puffballs of multi-colored silk flowers. Harris uses the lace to create three distinctive garments, all framed in rich red silk. Each is playful and ready to make autumn a hide-and-seek game.
As we return to our reading, we wrap ourselves in the very British Derek Rose Verona Smoking Jacket in a lovely Italian Jacquard with navy background and paisley pattern of gold and black. Matching Eye Mask if we need a nap.
Celebrate the world of flowers, new beginnings, reading, and lovely lingerie from Jane’s Vanity.