roundUP: Recycled Necklaces

Jessica Lapidos — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:30:12 +0000

These nine necklaces have fascinating backstories. They were all something else before besides raw materials. Some were broken china. Some were bullets. Some were vinyl records, and all were found by their crafty creators. Marni even dabbled in the recycled jewelry front. It’s far better to wear the world’s trash in a beautiful (clean) way, than to have the discarded materials sit forlorn in landfills. See nine necklaces you can feel great about wearing.

Discover 9 designers that are making old, new.

The Madame uses vintage African vinyl beads made from recycled records and ceramic. She recycles all over the world.

This badass breastplate is handmade in London of recycled leather and gold plated chains.

This feather-like collar via Luisa Via Roma is made of recycled brocade.

Everything Juliete Ames makes is made in china. Not the super industrious company, rather, the super fragile inherited-from-Grandma china. Whether you want to immortalize it in jewelry, or you break that super valuable plate by accident, she'll turn it into fantastic jewelry. They're not even gonna be mad, just impressed.

Recycling is high fashion too. Like these recycled PVC pipes from

Made by HIV positive women in Ethiopia from recycled brass, silver, copper, and bullet castings, this necklace does a lot of good. The pendent is a reproduction of a piece they found in an Ethiopian marketplace, so it's all very authentic.

Handmade of recycled, non-toxic, portuguese rubber, this piece is awesomely wacky.

It;s a matter of recycled and reclaimed fabric, and it makes up the whole necklace.

Putting discarded cotton jersey to great use.

DESIGNER TO KNOW: Michelle Lowe-Holder

Saynt — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:31:05 +0000

Michelle Lowe-Holder‘s A/W 09 collection takes advantage of the art of “smocking” to create some experimental pieces which are sure to add a new layer to your wardrobe.

For those not in the know, smocking is a practice that makes garments “stretch”without the use of elastic. It’s an embrodery technique that was used in the Middle Ages to make clothes that were functional to use in the fields, offering comfort and fastening without the use of buttons.

In order to make her unique pieces, Michelle first produces variants of actual physical smocking on dresses and separates and then replicates the smocking pattern with a print. As opposed to the traditional forms of smocking, she’s gone for knitwear in soft colors, incorporating black to add weight. The effect can be greatly seen in the above pictured pale blue and peach combo, which really makes her pieces artmanship shine.

LINKAGE: Simple Smocking

FashionIndie » Michelle Lowe-Holder

roundUP: Recycled Necklaces

DESIGNER TO KNOW: Michelle Lowe-Holder