The Litter bug

In 2009, two sisters began tinkering with old pieces of jewellery that they either owned or found in thrift stores. The pair would simply recreate a necklace by removing a few links here and adding a jewel or two there, to completely reinvigorate an outdated piece of jewelry. “What’s old, is new”, has been the duo’s motto and the motto has been working wonders for them.

4 years later, Rachael Mann and Mackenzie Burdick have some serious business on their hands. . .  and it’s not just their jewelry. Litter’s various collections range from head pieces reminiscent of 60’s fashion, to edgy rocker chick pieces that include arm chains, foot chains, and legs chains. These chains are the perfect match for festival go-ers and I expect this summer the concert crowds will have the litter bug. Litter has recently introduced chain body suits which are the epitome of sexuality, perhaps a tad risqué for everyday wear but certainly not for celebs who like to push the envelope.

The concept of “re-used chain jewelry”, without a visual, sounds a bit bizarre but these two girls have  hit a home run with their sexy and unique accessories that are ideal for adding on to an outfit for an evening out.

Here are a few of my favourite pieces:

From collection “Bear Cat”. . .

From collection Desert Queen . . .

Their designs are completely unlike any other on the market and as soon as the demand for Litter grew, their pieces were quickly featured in major publications across the globe. Rachael and Mackenzie, now San Francisco based, have a huge following and their most recent appearance on Shark Tank ( aired March 12th 2012) have gained them even more publicity and exposure.

Since the launch of their company in 2009, their jewelry has garnered attention from  Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and Teen Vogue. They’ve also gained a celebrity “cult” following, attracting the likes of Nicole Richie, Vanessa Hudgens, Fergie and even Lady Gaga. Litter has also made it onto a few of my favourite fashion blogs: Fashion Toast and LeFlaash.  Not only can you see these styles on celebs and fashion bloggers, but their pieces have also hogged the lime light on more than a few runways. In 2010, Litter was stippled throughout various fashion weeks, including a collaboration with designer, Jasmine Di Milo, in Paris’ Fashion Week as well as a successful collaborative effort with Christina Cota in New York’s Fashion Week 2010.

In the company’s formative years, the sisters were working hours on end out of their North Beach apartment. As each piece was painstakingly assembled by hand, pricing has been reflective of the labour intensive hours dedicated to each item; however, their recent collaboration with entrepreneurs, Mark Cuban and Daymond John, will allow them channels for better and wider distribution. Although most of their pieces sell for hundreds of dollars (especially custom-made pieces for celebrity clientele), they now have the opportunity to work with Urban Outfitters and thus, the opportunity to produce Litter that is more reasonably priced.

In a nutshell, Litter seems to be the next big thing with fashionistas world-wide and soon enough we can expect to see 20-somethings adorned with Litter as the litter bug quickly catches on.

To see more of their work visit www.littersf.com 

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