Fast fashion retailers like Zara, Joe Fresh and H&M have taken over the retail landscape in a big way. Featuring designs entirely “inspired” by current trends shown at fashion weeks, this business model values speed over craftsmanship, recognized trends over original design and low prices over sustainable business practices.
Seduced by low prices and shiny Céline knockoffs, consumers are, for the most part, happy to turn over their hard-earned money to these fashion giants. But when you show up to a party and three girls are wearing the same necklace as you, things become problematic.
The story behind Pyrrha’s talisman collection is bound to appeal to the individual in all of us. Designed and handcrafted in Vancouver, Pyrrha’s signature line of necklaces features one-of-a-kind pendants cast from 18th and 19th century wax seals. Jewellery designers Wade Papin and Danielle Wilmore were inspired to design the collection after discovering a box of these seals, hoping to preserve their fragile beauty through the process of casting.
These thoughtful pieces are a refreshing contrast to the cheaply made, mass-produced accessories so ubiquitous in this industry. The fact that they won’t break after two or three wears — or even 300 — is also a big plus. As Papin and Wilmore explain on their website, “Everything seems to be cranked out at a staggering pace and then left for dead. Because we live in such a throwaway society, it’s necessary to create some things that can be kept.”
These unique trinkets can be purchased in both sterling silver and bronze, and come with a wide assortment of inscriptions and symbols. My personal favourite: this talisman necklace in sterling silver, depicting a pair of scissors and inscribed with the words “We part to meet again.”
$158. Available in-store and online at Elevator, 1273 Queen St. W.
