Wearable Art: Price Tags Turned Collectible Jewelry
Lucie Davis transforms disposable price tags into handcrafted enamel pins.
1Concept
London-based artist Lucie Davis reimagines disposable retail price tags as wearable art, blending consumer culture with high craftsmanship. Each 21.5mm x 12mm pin mimics real price stickers through laser-engraved text and numbers. The project challenges perceptions of value by elevating a typically discarded object into collectible jewelry.
2Design Inspiration
Davis drew inspiration from her university job at a womenswear shop, where she observed the overlooked beauty of price tags. Her design brief: transform retail's most disposable item using fine jewelry techniques. The pins preserve imperfections like creases and bends from original labels, celebrating their mundane origins through meticulous reproduction.
3Material Transformation
Copper cutouts are laser-engraved with price label graphics before receiving vitreous enamel finishes. The pieces undergo kiln firing at varying temperatures (some deliberately under/over-fired) to create unique textures. Hammered corners simulate peeling stickers, while glossy enamel mimics paper sheen—contrasting industrial production with artisanal execution.
4Craftsmanship Meets Technology
The collection merges modern laser engraving (precise, digital) with centuries-old hand enameling (slow, tactile). Davis intentionally leaves firing outcomes partially unpredictable, allowing kiln variations to produce distinct color gradients and surface finishes. This fusion creates heirloom-quality pieces from an ephemeral retail artifact.
5Visual Trickery
At first glance, the pins perfectly replicate flimsy paper tags—down to typography and curled corners. Upon handling, their substantial weight (from copper bases) and glossy enamel surfaces reveal their true nature. This juxtaposition invites wearers to reconsider value perception through material contrast.
6Collectible Nature
No two pins are identical due to intentional variations in engraving, metal deformation, and firing results. Some feature under-fired matte finishes; others show over-fired crackled textures. This uniqueness transforms mass-produced sticker aesthetics into singular art objects, suitable for individual wear or grouped displays.
7Cultural Commentary
The series builds on Davis' viral Oyster Card nails project, exploring how material upgrades can shift an object's cultural value. By freezing price tags—symbols of transient consumerism—in permanent enamel, she questions what we preserve versus discard in retail environments.
8Conclusion
Precious Price Tag Pins bridge irony and craftsmanship, turning throwaway labels into conversation-starting jewelry. Davis' work demonstrates how design can elevate mundane objects through hybrid techniques, inviting wearers to find beauty in everyday commercial detritus while reflecting on consumption habits.
Original article: Yanko Design — Wearable Art: Price Tags Turned Collectible Jewelry