Sybille Paulsen's Tangible Truths is a project that turns the hair of cancer patients into custom pieces of jewelry. Paulsen works with women undergoing chemotherapy including those who want to cut their hair off before they eventually lose it during radiation treatment. It takes two weeks to create the jewelry and Paulsen takes that period of time to get to know each client a bit better.
Paulsen is the first person to admit that using human hair to create necklaces and bracelets (and just about anything aside from wigs) is a bit "polarizing." That being said, each piece in Tangible Truths is quite elegant and doesn't play up the human hair factor one bit. Sybille Paulsen works exclusively with human hair, which likely explains the refined look of Tangible Truths.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Custom Jewelry
- There is an opportunity for innovative designers to create personalized jewelry using unique materials, such as human hair, to cater to niche markets.
- Empathy-driven Products
- Developing products that are created with empathy for a specific target audience, like cancer patients, provides an opportunity to address unique needs and create meaningful connections.
- Transformative Artwork
- Artists can explore using unconventional materials, like hair, to create transformative artwork that challenges traditional perceptions and sparks conversations.
Where This Applies
- Jewelry Design
- Incorporating human hair as a design element in jewelry presents an opportunity for jewelers to offer distinctive and emotionally significant pieces that resonate with customers.
- Healthcare and Support Services
- The creation and customization of hair jewelry for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy may lead to the development of new businesses providing supportive and personalized services in the healthcare industry.
- Art and Sculpture
- Artists specializing in unconventional mediums, such as hair, have a chance to disrupt the art industry by pushing boundaries and challenging traditional perceptions of art.
