Inspired by urban graffiti, designers at Rebel Nell transform pieces of rubble graffiti into beautiful new materials and wearable jewellery. Their source materials are pieces of graffiti that have naturally crumbled and fallen from walls throughout the city of Detroit. The pieces of rubble are made out of many layers of paint. To bring out their beauty, Rebel Nell use heaters, cutters and polishing devices to reveal the colours below. It is a process of experimentation. Sometimes the graffiti pieces turn up nothing, but other times the hundred of colours beneath combine into psychedelic looking patterns. These pieces are then individually cut and shaped by Rebel Nell’s designers.
After moving to Detroit, Rebel Nell co-founder Amy Peterson was inspired not only by the potential she saw in the city’s decaying graffiti but also by the women she met in her neighbourhood. The company employs and trains women who live in a nearby shelters not only in design but also in business and life skills. Many have since have moved on to independent living and dream of starting their own enterprises.
You can discover more about Rebel Nell here.