Hasta La Ideas

by Ariston Anderson

One jewelry line popping up everywhere this spring is Andrew Hamilton Crawford‘s Valley of the Dolls-inspired pill collection. Turning common anti-anxiety pills into charms or “dolls,” the Damien Hirst-like collection of bracelets, necklaces and earrings make for a playful accompaniment to any serious wardrobe.

Design team Chad Crawford and Andrew Tessier hail from the south—Georgia and Alabama, respectively—and now work in New York City. Andrew started in costume design, while Chad’s fine jewelry background results in a collection that is ironically luxurious. The line consists of affordable, unique items crafted from sterling silver, gold vermeil, often incorporating resin charms in striking colors.

“We didn’t create the Valley of the Dolls collection to glamorize drugs—we wanted to comment on how fashionable pharmaceuticals have become,” Tessier tells CH. “The collection started with the anti-anxiety bracelet, which got a great response, so we added the single capsule charm necklace and then later the capsule earrings and anti-anxiety cufflinks. Even though much of our collection focuses on higher end jewelry, we do enjoy incorporating a kitschy element in the collection.”

The “doll necklace” is one shiny and glittery pill on the end of a sparkly chain, while 10 little blue helpers make up the “10 milligram bracelet.” Both serve as a gentle reminder to calm down whenever you’re stressed out, without heading to the medicine cabinet.

The collection is available from the Andrew Hamilton Crawford site, prices range from $78 to $248.