What to do with those damn buttons…

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>>… oh, right… that's it.  I should gather up my boxes and boxes of buttons, colour code them and then wack them on a collar shaped base to make some super cute shirt collars…

Ok, so I'm not about to venture into doing something like this but at the Vantan Tokyo designers presentation on Saturday in Paris, at the very least I found out about someone who has the itty bitty patience to do something like this.  The collecting, collating, sorting, arranging and sticking… makes my impatient brain whir with exhaustion already.  Kotsu Kotsu have that kind of time and patience and so these are the results…

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Not sure where one fids ickle teensy tiny plastic babies but there you go, here they are all bunched up into a pearl necklace of sorts..

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Artist Ryoko Takahashi is also one of those patient bods who can sit down a bead a trainer with hundreds of ickle beads… her work was on display at Vantan not as selling pieces but as more of an art installation…

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These are also by Takahashi and I have no idea what they are or mean but I do love contemplating them…. I leave you with some hair candelabras to put some cartoon question marks popping up out of your heads…

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45 comments

  1. Oh what a fantastic idea for buttons. Those collars are cute. I wonder if they’d look any good on

  2. Wow those collars are amazing!I bet they took a looong time to make, and those shoes!beautiful pieces of art x

  4. Hair candleabra ??? I think I need one, they are so good. And dear God please don’t say all those seed beads on the sneakers are hand stitched…only the Japanese could create such brilliant madnesses…

  6. Those collars are beautiful, love the one with the little mini cups on! Remind me of some handmade jewellery I saw at Pure in august which was all hand made from dollhouse size tea sets, so cute.

  7. Amazing stuff! I can’t believe someone would take the time to stitch so many buttons on so painstakingly! And those hair candelabras! Scary if you ask me! Belongs in the Adams’ Family home I think. Add some eyes.
    ;D
    Linda.

  14. Wow those collars are gorgeous! I love your blog Suzie!
    I’m not sure if this is the right place to mention this but I’d love it if you checked out my beauty blog http://warpaintbeauty.blogspot.com and left your comments. Its just a baby at the moment but I’m hoping it will make it big with the right support and advice! Thanks x

  20. Love love the collars- so interesting, male and female version! The female version looks to have raided a little girl’s toychest with the mini cupcakes. So sweet. The shoes are incredible, gotta love an innovative designer. Check out my blog at http://www.fashionforlunch.com if you have a free minute.

  21. Eccentric but beautiful at the same time. I’m in love with the collars……

  24. This is another project to add to my growing list post MA! What a fab idea I’ve been wondering what to do with my button collection, now all I need to do is find a channel for their use, am going to try not to create a homage.

  27. Those collars are ON FIRE! If you really want to DIY, just get yourself a glue gun & some buckram. 😉 Also, if you want the runway look, but not the runway price, surf around on etsy. There are a lot of artists who have been doing this type of work for a while. I swear the big designers are trolling etsy. Anyway, do a keyword search of “statement necklace” or “collar”, etc. in the jewelry section & you’ll find some nice examples. I particularly like the work by artist Doloris Petunia. It’s a bit different, but fabulous. http://www.nickiefrye.etsy.com

  28. I’m embarrassingly rubbish at sewing buttons but I may need to pinch this idea and add it to my DIY list. Love all these weird wonderful things 🙂

  32. I’m trying to bedazzle shoes right now. I’m so glad I’m not the only one on earth that thinks that might be a good idea. xx

  33. Love the collars and I too have no patience though after designing costumes for a while I have loads and loads of buttons stashed away. The collars are amazing and love the necklace too. If I get snowed in then I will know what to do.

  35. There’s something so interesting and absorbing about sifting through piles of unique looking buttons. Some of them are quite whimsical and pretty, it’s nice to see an artist utilize these. haha only the Japanese would have the patience to create such meticulous pieces.

  38. I see a wave of DIY button necklaces walking down the streets of NYC in the near future. What a great concept for recycling materials. Love your coverage on this event.

  39. I am IN LOVE with those button-collared necklaces. So creatively genius, I can hardly stand it!
    As for the hair candelabras, no comment.

  42. Hi Suzie, Susie, Suzy,
    haven’t commented for a while on your blog bu it’s always super, the button stuff is amazing and just for info one can find those tiny pink plastic babies ina weird little shop that sells vintage chewing gum and stink bombs amongst other baubles and curiosities things, it’s in Montmartre on rue Joseph de Maistre, just off Rue Lepic and Rue des Abbesses and i think it’s called “Tomb√© du camion” meaning fell of a truck…take care and keep up the stellar blogging
    liz from Paris

  43. Did you know “kotsu kotsu” in Japanese literally means “itty bitty patience”? Some of that stuff reminds me of a lot of bugs stuck on a collar, but nice idea, and hey, it’s kinda cute. Sometimes.

  44. wow those baby things are strange. it would be a strong piece to wear though i suppose…lol

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