Daisy was born into a world of wealth and nobility, an ideal environment for her creativity and eccentricities to flurish.  Her mother was Isabelle Blance Singer, daughter to the sewing machine inventor Isaac Singer, and her father was the fourth Duc Decazes et de Glucksbierg.  In the 1920’s Daisy  was known as one of the most elegant and glamorous woman in Europe, largely due to her extravagant and somewhat risque lifestyle.   She also became known for her extraordinary  jewelry collection which included several Carter pieces.  

 

The English's interest with Indian jewels started at the beginning of the 20th century when Pierre Cartier was commissioned in 1901  by Queen Alexandra, Empress of India and wife of Edward VII, to create an Indian necklace from various pieces of her jewelry.  Since India was part of England’s Empire at the time, Indian style and design was hugely influencial in London and the enthusiasm soon spread to the continent.

 

By the 1930’s everything Indian had became all the rage, no doubt encouraged by the sudden relative  ease with which one could travel. The wealthy tourists traveled throughout India on the Darjeeling Express and bought ruby, emerald and sapphire beaded necklaces, very similar to those that are still available in India today.   Europeans became enamored with the fabulous jewels of the Maharajahs;  According to an account by Alain Boucheron on his family business in the book “The Master Jewelers” that was cited in the Times: "The flamboyant Maharajah... arrived at Boucheron's in 1927 accompanied by a retinue of 40 servants all wearing pink turbans, his 20 favorite dancing girls and, most important of all, six caskets filled with 7571 diamonds, 1432 emeralds, sapphires, rubies and pearls of incomparable beauty.”

 

After such exotic sights, Europeans  returned to Paris with gemstones as souvenirs of their trip. Cartier, amonst other jewellers, then transformed the colorful gems into fine jewelry incorporating an Indian esthetic with European taste and craftsmanship. Trendsetters like Misia Sert, Daisy Fellowes, Ganna Walska, Mrs. Harrison Williams and the Duchess of Windsor all began wearing Indian style jewels created by Cartier.

 

Although many jewellers were inspired by this trend,  Cartier developed a distinctive style all their own, nicknamed 'Tutti Frutti' ('fruit salad') in the 1940s.   During this fervor,  Daisy Fellowes commissioned in 1936  the distinctive mogul-inspired necklace, as seen above left.  Her necklace in fact, went through several transformations over the years before arriving at the final product, c. 1960,  as seen at the top of the page.  

 

Nevertheless,  it  has been suggested that Daisy's commission was instrumental in the development of the long line of brightly coloured Indian/Art Deco jewellery,  nicknamed 'Tutti Frutti',  that has been associated with Cartier ever since.  

 

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