Servane Gaxotte's Fairy Tale Necklaces

I'm teaching a class on fairy tales--classic and revisionist--so it's no surprise that I was drawn to these cunning necklaces from the Parisian designer Servane Gaxotte.

They were cuddled together midway through the long Kisan shop in Soho. 

Felinophobes beware: I originally thought that "kisan" might be translated as "cat lady," as the front of the shop featured cool dresses that sneaked watercoloury, abstract cats into the print, as well as cat-emblazoned iPhone cases. I was concerned that the shop would be a cat-astrophe till I proceeded further. 

(NB: I want to make it clear that I adore the delightful FitzRoy Brandes, he of the glorious mug.)

Gaxotte's necklaces (from her "rose" collection) imagine rather large creatures--mice, a girl with cat ears (I know, but still)--and they wear odd fabric garments.  Suspended from a heavy chain, they're kind of fairy tale noir,

with a hint of Degas ballet dancer,

a dollop of Peau d'ane,

and a sprinkling of She Was Nice To Mice, which I knew intimately from the pages of Seventeen magazine when I was about 12 or 13.

Its author, Ally Sheedy, made a different impression on me during her Breakfast Club scene when she shook dandruff out of her hair, creating a snowfall.  At least I think it was dandruff and not a sequel called She Was Nice To Lice.

Although I would l.o.v.e. to wear one of these necklaces to class when I teach Peau d'ane, I won't be doing so unless I find my own Rumplestiltskin, who can spin some gold without any catches.  My beautiful first-born turns 13 today and I intend to enjoy her company.

(BTW: have any gentle readers ever read Neil LaBute's take on the Rumplestltskin story, "With Hair of Hand-Spun Gold"?  It's in a Kate Bernheimer anthology of new fairy tales and is as chilling and current as a LaBute work can be.  Without giving anything away, it goes where the film Easy A fears to tread.)