Pearly Jewels

June 30th, 2008

Polly Vanderglas is causing a fuss with her very unique take on recycling. While some may find these pieces a little too wacky, others are pulling their hair out to get hold of one of the cult designs.

Polly Vanderglas’ jewellery pieces explore new types of interactions between jewellery and the body. Employing a wide range of metals and materials, including hair, teeth and fingernails- all genuinely human – and all donated from living friends and relatives – the pieces take recycling to the next level.

While the idea of seeing someone else’s tooth wrapped around your finger everytime you take a sip of coffee is a little too much for some, Polly insists that the purpose of the pieces is to generate thoughts of the owner – giving the pieces their own story.

"Each tooth or hair lock has it’s own history. I find that there’s almost a feeling of bonding when shed parts are mixed up, re-used, and re-appropriated."

"I feel myself asking as I wear the tooth ring out to dinner; what was the last meal this tooth ate? Or as I get dressed in the morning and put on the
plaited hair hoop earrings; what kind of hairstyle did these locks come from?"

Pieces are available via the designer.

vanderglas@hotmail.com

INDESIGN is on instagram

Follow @indesignlive

Dipped in integrity: The profound depth of Aeron Chair’s extended palette

Aeron Chair’s new shades, Nightfall and Jasper, arrive with a sense of quiet cohesion – no bells and whistles, no loud technicolour; just two timeless, perfectly versatile near-neutrals. But the new hues aren’t just about colour – and their significance is much more profound than their surface-level subtlety might suggest.

The brand spotlighting furnishings crafted with purpose and the skilled design minds behind them

A wander around a BACHLI showroom reveals a tapestry of captivating furniture designs, curated precisely and craft-led. Thanks to its longstanding partnerships with iconic designers, BACHLI has become a go-to for discovering the most exciting established and emerging Australian and international brands. Initially based in Melbourne, BACHLI have recently expanded into Sydney with their Surry Hills showroom, increasing their presence and opening their invitation to the design-savvy and curious nationwide.

Elton Group’s $5,000 Think Good Micro-Grant is calling for designers and makers with a bold idea

Late night rethinks, endless material testing and prototyping, half-finished or abandoned projects – the work behind-the-scenes work is often where ideas come undone. Elton Group’s Think Good Micro-Grant – a $5,000 annual fund now open for applications – exists to back this kind of unseen effort.