Badge making expert, 23 year old Karlie Shelley has set up a unique line in creating hand crafted limited edition lapel adornments apltly named PINS. Armed with an exacting eye and arresting image-sharp black bob and stack heels, Karlie has something of a modern day 'rock bird' about her!
'I used to have a crush on Elvis Presley and was thrilled to find a really beautiful pin with his gorgeous face on when I was in Los Angeles about 3 years ago. Also, Better Badges, who were responsible for creating badges for everyone from The Clash to Joy Division.’ Her aims are to create badges for fans. ‘People who want to wear their allegiances on their lapels, whether it be musical, political, fashion, art or literature.’
Karlie has a sensibility for unique and inventive ideas, ‘PINS has a DIY ethos whereby I’m happy for people to send me artwork to go into personalized badges. I'm doing lots of limited edition and one offs from some of London’s most fantastic people. I'm not really up for loads of mass produced logos and images, my badges are designed to promote individuality.’
Her interests initially lay in vintage, ‘I sold jewelry and bits of select vintage, subculture pieces, which was inspired by my Auntie who was a really well dressed dub girl!’ Although she went to St Martins and studied Womenswear, she soon diversified in to other areas of creativity, preferring to concentrate on each project at a time. ‘My objective is to love what I do and do it with people I admire.’
Since launching Karlie Shelley has created badges for super stylist and accessory designer Judy Blame, artist and customiser Dr Noki, artist Dave Baby, milliner Piers Atkinson and fashion designer Louise Gray. Shehas also created limited edition pieces for Jeanette’s fashion emporium, The House Of Organza (collaborating with artist SophieStephens), Kim Howells, and The P.i.X fanzine.
