Kitsch Picks is a unique jewellery brand for both men and women that’s inspired by music and made by hand. As the brand name suggests, each piece brings to life a guitar’s favourite friend (second to the strummer, of course!), the humble guitar pick. Every design is different, so no two people will have the same piece.
We had a chat with brand owner, stylist and designer Nicole Hobart for the lowdown on her rock-chick label. Here’s what she had to share with Guide Me Malta!
Hi Nicole! We love your jewellery range! Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
"Born and raised in the South of England, I love art, particularly Pop Art and Surrealism, fashion, David Bowie, and music. I work full-time, and really love what I do. It’s creative, social and challenging, and every day brings something new. During the evenings and weekends, if not supporting our local musician friends at gigs, I spend my time designing jewellery and painting with acrylics."
"I have two Savannah kitties that we brought with us from the UK, and they are my world, along with my husband, too. He is a guitarist and singer, but the irony is he doesn’t use a guitar pick!"
Cool! When and how did the brand start out?
"Whilst living in the UK, about 15 years ago, I was dating a musician (who is now my husband), and I had a thing for guitar picks and began collecting them. I bought a leather bracelet from Camden, and thought ‘this needs something’, so I reconstructed the bracelet. I continued to modify and make jewellery with guitar picks for myself and friends. Then, about two years ago, after living in Malta for five years at the time, I decided to share the concept beyond my inner circle. This led to the concept of Kitsch Picks."
How are the pieces made?
"Each piece is created by hand, inspired by the vibe I feel at the time. There is no factory line process where designs are being churned out, conveyer-belt style. Instead, we construct every piece by hand, ensuring that even if we use the same pick, it results in very different designs. The brand makes use of quality materials like stainless-steel, sterling silver, leather, suede and a variety of adornments to make each design stand out with originality — all combined with the holy grail of almost every guitarist: the plectrum!"
"As corny as it sounds, it starts by selecting a look; this could be anything from rock, punk and goth to boho, vintage/retro and classic. A design is worked up, materials are chosen and constructed to form the designs. The process involves drilling, measuring, layering and assembling. New ideas are always making their way in, which often results in new materials and ways of constructing. The time involved in creating varies, too, depending on the complexity of the design. The longest time spent on one design is around six hours."
That sounds like fun! Who has worn Kitsch Picks so far?
"A wonderfully diverse array of people! Starting out with friends who made a few requests for bespoke designs, both here in Malta and back in England. Last year, I had the pleasure of providing some pieces for the finalists of X Factor Malta. This was a wonderful moment, seeing Kitsch Picks being worn by local talent on a stage that is connected to one of the biggest global reality singing shows."
Wow! What are your customers like?
"All our customers are amazing, and this is the most satisfying and rewarding part of seeing the finished pieces; the joy people get from receiving and wearing Kitsch Picks. We’ve had orders from Malta, England, Brazil, Asia and America. We’ve also got a few collaborations cooking, all of which will be revealed soon!"
"So far the feedback has been great. It is quite difficult to build an online presence in such a saturated commercial market, so when possible, we collaborate with local artists at events as well as having a continuous collaboration with a fantastic local fashion brand here in Malta. We were at Earth Garden earlier in the year, and that provided great insight into the eclectic array of people who like our brand. It was so nice having a local presence in a surrounding that fits the Kitsch Picks vibe. We had a very positive reaction and sold quite a few pieces, ranging from necklaces, earrings, bracelets and key-rings to, as I say, a variety of cool characters, both male and female."
Last but not least, what kind of girl is the Kitsch Picks girl?
"That’s a very good question. I guess it’s anyone who likes to be a bit different. Someone who does not follow convention and has a strong identity. Someone who is bold, confident and knows who they are. The designs are made to appeal to every age group and demographic, with the intention of delivering a little bit of unique to suit a multitude of styles and personalities. Coco Chanel was famous for saying 'Don’t be like the rest of them darling', and this is the mantra we want the brand to evoke and convey!"
Great stuff! Thank You Nicole and all the best of luck with your creative ventures!