Kapje van gevlochten zilverkleurig satijn versierd met imitatieparels en stras c. 1951 - 1953

Caroline Reboux made this silver-grey hat with woven satin, pearls and gems. Reboux understood the sculptural, almost architectural properties of millinery, and, for me, it's helpful to think about this piece as a kind of freestyle drawing. Look at how the bands of silvery satin weave and intersect, creating volume and texture. The light plays across the surface, accentuating the folds and curves. You can imagine Reboux manipulating the fabric, shaping it with her hands, pinning and adjusting until the form emerged. This is a hat of movement and possibility, like a gesture caught in time. The little pearl and gem details at the edge of the bands are like small punctuation marks, tiny flourishes. These details give an extra layer of complexity to the piece. Thinking about other artists, I’m reminded of the way Eva Hesse worked, building up forms through repetition and layering. The result is a piece which feels both delicate and strong.