hair

Victorian Mourning Jewelry, as previously mentioned, has been inspiring a quite a few jewelry designers lately, Julie Deville, presumably Giselle Ganne, those Loved to Death goth kids. Hair, human hair, is a medium that no one really likes to consider, but it has a long history, certainly not just in Western culture. Apparently there is a long tradition of hair embroidery in China.

This is actually lace made from human hair, from the 1640s I believe, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which is probably my favorite museum anywhere.

If you have the stomach for it, there's a 19th century hair watch fob over on an antiques website. It has a cool snake clasp thing.

Anyway, when I was looking for things to include with my tooth jewelry post, I came across Chris Habana, who did some cool hair and tooth pieces as an exclusive for a boutique in LA (and consequently I can't find a decent photo of them, but there is a wee tiny one over at coolhunting). I thought I'd put up a few more pieces of hair jewelry for funsies. Of course, New York Magazine already has a roundup you can read, but they beat me to everything by like three years, so whatever.

Some hair necklaces from Francis Willemstijn, a Dutch artist who I know almost nothing about, because his website is in squiggly.

A couple of pieces from Bijules NYC, which are actually incredibly expensive AND some are made of synthetic hair. To which I say, Good Day to you Sir!

More pieces from our old friend Polly van der Glas, at the left a hoop earring, at the right, well it's actually a purse, but it totally looks like she scalped a wagon train for it (it's okay, they would have died of dysentery anyway).

On the left, Julia Deville's hair and silver bone pin. She has similar pieces, one of which has a skull at the top shrouded in a bit of black silk (I think), but they aren't on her website. Perhaps too much of a memento mori for me. On the right is Rakk and Ruin's very cool hair jewelry from her Etsy shop. I'd seen her crystal and shell casing necklaces, but I just noticed the hair and casing necklace. Sweet.


Of course, jewelry isn't the only area where human hair has enjoyed a renewed popularity:

I can't help but feel bad for Chris March from Project Runway. I watched the finale with my friends and was the only one NOT disturbed by the human hair on the clothes. The judges were horrified and he didn't make it to the final three. Then of course it showed up all over the place. I'm not saying that he invented the idea, not by a long shot, but still kind of a bummer

Chris March's Fall 2008 collection

Gareth Pugh, Fall 2008

From the work of Gemma Sack, who worked for Pugh back in the day.

Givenchy Fall 2009 and goat fur dress by Russian designer Alena Akhmadullina FW09, who actually did some really fantastic knitwork for her SS09 collection that looks like knit ribcages sitting on top of delicate floral dresses.

Margiela SS09, granted I don't this is is real human hair, and I suspect that applies to Givenchy too, but the look is still spreading, even if the particular species it comes from still walks on four legs. Or is made of plastic.

Brian Lichtenberg Fall 2009. I couldn't find a full-length of this picture anywhere, so here it is in pieces.

VPL by Victoria Bartlett Fall 2009. This is definitely human hair, because PETA was all over this. PETA can go fuck itself as far as I'm concerned.

At least I am not alone, Susie Bubble is down with hair in fashion (on fashion?). I loved the dress the Six Six Sick girls made for her, even though the hair on it is synthetic.

Susie Bubble in her dress for the Six Six Sick party at Happy Ending (once I showed up completely blacked out and danced with a drag queen for like, an hour. Awesome). She's so cute.

And, lastly, for the shoe lovers of the world, to go with your new scalp purses:

Camilla Skovgaard human hair and other stuff shoe.

And I'm spent.

sources: not now, too tired.