During my studies at the jewellery department of the Gerrit Rietveld Academy I lived for half a year in Pforzheim. There I found a postcard of women with hats topped with big red pompoms. Later I learned that this ‘bollenhut’ is part of a costume worn in three villages in the Black Forest.
Unmarried women wear a hat with red balls, married women wear one with black balls. In costumes you often find clues to whether one is married or unmarried. In this case it’s indicated by colour. The colour red stands for passion, love, power, fertility and here as a signal: ‘look at me, I'm (still) available’.

My necklace was inspired by these balls hats. You can wear it at both sides: red on one side and black on the other side. By turning around this necklace you can easily show if you are free or not.

more info.pdf (Dutch)