ostume jewelry has come into its own as never
before. The sheer fancy, the sense of play that may be
exercised with non-precious materials is liberating for the
designer. Just because a piece is faux doesn't make it
cheap. As anyone knows who scours flea markets for
vintage Chanel—I have always regretted not buying, for
$200.00 a pair of earrings, one engraved with the moon,
the other, the sun--prices have soared into the thousands;
the perception of it is that it is good as gold. Other major
designers who have made costume jewels include Chris-
tian Dior, Karl Lagerfeld and Givenchy, to name a few.
A less well-known but masterful French designer of the
1940s and 1950s, Line Vautrin, who died in 1997, made
ornaments of resins, glass and gilt bronze—her chosen
Line Vautrin (1913-1997) Aquarium, France, ca. 1942-
1950 Bronze doré box with blue-green enamel
C
HYLAND
