You’ll have to be quick for this one, I’m afraid – it ends on Sunday.

The MARS Gallery is exhibiting many of the original illustrations for Charlotte Smith’s book “Dreaming of Chanel”. If, like me, you covert some of the beautiful couture in the Darnell Collection, this is a chance to own one of the original artworks.

I bought the polka dot frock that was paraded last week at Cranlana – you can see the original here, as worn by Eszter. Here’s the illustration, in Charlotte’s book you can find it on page 25.

The Gallery is kindly framing it for me – and soon it will be on display at Circa. I like this particular frock because not only do I now have a personal association with using it in the Cranlana parade, I love the provenance – the lady who made and wore it, hand-painted the polka dots. As some one who’s done this before, I can tell you that painting spots onto fabric to produce a professional finish, isn’t as easy as it seems.

What: Grant Cowan, original art from “Dreaming of Chanel”
When: 25th March-3rd April, 10am to 5pm.
Where: MARS Gallery, 418 Bay Street, Port Melbourne.
Cost: free and the art is for sale too.

More information at the website.