Whenever I see buttons being used in a colourful and playful way, as they are in this necklace, I think of the late designer Patrick Kelly. If you are unfamiliar with his work, it’s worth a search. Kelly was the first American and first person of colour to be admitted to the French Chambre syndicale du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode. He died at the age of 35 in 1990, an early AIDS casualty.

Kelly was fond of using buttons in his design – oversized, colourful and whimsical as seen here worn by him.

So when I saw this necklace by Etsy seller Button Soup, I immediately thought of Kelly. This is a great way to re-envision an every day object like the button and use it in a different and ornamental way. A fun piece and an inadvertent yet nice reminder of a very talented designer taken too soon. Available from the designer for USD $55.