The inspiration for this skirted lampshade came from an article in the Sunday Times Style that my client and I had both seen. I took her old and rather tired pink pleated shade and transformed it into this extravagant creation of whipped silk and luscious braid.

As the skirt would be proud of the actual frame I lined it inside and out before draping the “skirt” over it. The braid around the base was backed with the paler silk to allow a different quality of light through - two days of minute hand stitching was needed for this alone! I then created the whipped and twisted crown which was placed over the shade only when it was in its final resting place on the lampstand.

The effect of the light through the pleats is utterly dramatic and many people have liked this shade to a wedding dress.

Cost: around £3500