Which brands to buy icons - funny, beautiful and with meaning
SMALL METAL ICON- a delicate decoration that can tell a lot about its owner: about his favorite group, film, literary hero, event or exhibition that the person visited. Besides, buying it today, you can not only prove yourself, but also support an independent brand or a young illustrator. We chose nine interesting brands of badges with different ideas that you want to fasten all at once.
Pinpinpin.it
Where to buy: shop.pinpinpin.it
Perhaps the most famous Russian-made badges. The first copies began to be produced under the Heart of Moscow brand in 2012, but this year the team decided to go beyond the borders of Russia, for which a separate brand Pinpinpin.it was created.
Each collection is made in a specific theme, be it space, visual arts or a particular city: "Our very first series of icons was devoted to the symbols of Moscow, and when Pinpinpin.it took the form of a separate brand, the first was the line about Petersburg and its symbols." These icons are familiar to many and are popular with people regardless of age: someone buys them because of nostalgia, someone as a decoration, and someone as a gift. The team still works as a small team. The guys admit that they are negotiating with several museums and retail outlets. Recently, they also opened a representative office in Europe, and are also preparing to launch a new online store.
Weepin
Where to buy: facebook.com
A very young brand comes from Kiev, which appeared in June of this year. The idea of making badges came to Veronica and Olga long before the creation of the brand: "We both feel thrill towards small and sophisticated objects and want to share it with many." Girls are architects by education - probably, therefore, in the design of badges such a love for details can be seen.
The first collection consisted of three items: a chestnut leaf, an anthurium flower and crossed fingers. Each of them is symbolic primarily for the creators themselves. Recently, in conjunction with RCR Khomenko, an icon has been released in the form of a schematic eye, a symbol of the brand, which often appears in prints. "Now we are developing a new collection, it is about the love of art. In the future, I really want to give a gift to lovers of Kiev architecture." Badges are available in limited editions and all cost 400 rubles - you can find them on Instagram and Facebook.
Tuesday bassen
Where to buy: shoptuesday.com
An illustrator from Los Angeles named Tusday (yes, this is her real name) at various times managed to work with many major brands and publications from The New Yorker to Nike. As for the badges, they, like all the work of a girl, are captivating with their performance - everything is done in the best traditions of the 90s. Even her Instagram page seems to come from that decade.
The girl began to make a series of icons simultaneously with ceramics in 2013. "I wanted to introduce my illustrations into everyday life," explains Tuesday. There are no complex images: a donut with eyes, an eraser with the inscription "Erase You", hands showing a sign of peace - only childishness and carelessness. Paradoxically, the Tiusday badges made theft world famous: Zara used her illustrations on her things without asking for her. Unfortunately, the epic confrontation with the Spanish conglomerate did not lead to anything. Nevertheless, justice can be maintained by purchasing one of the artist’s original icons.
This Way To The Circus
Where to buy: thiswaytothecircus.co.uk
The account of the English brand This Way To Circus on Instagram is like a real greenhouse: here are cacti, palm trees, and whole green families. The guys are engaged in the creation of small decorative sculptures for the interior in the form of plants in fun painted flower pots. The badges echo them and perfectly diversify their appearance, especially in the cold and gray seasons, when you miss the green very strongly. They are produced in small batches, so there are few models in the online store of the brand; each costs an average of 500 rubles. But they will perfectly fit both in minimalistic and in images in the style of the 90s.
Coucou suzette
WHERE TO BUY: WWW.ETSY.COM, COUCOUSUZETTE.COM
Before creating a brand that had already conquered the entire French (and not only) gloss, Juliette Male worked for six years as an illustrator in Paris and Tokyo. Upon returning to her homeland, she learned the art of jewelry and created the Coucou Suzette. As Juliet herself says, she "wanted to turn her illustrations into little cute objects." She succeeded: an impressively sized burger in her hands, a tanning girl, a hand holding a male bare body on a chain - each item is like a whole mini-story. The illustrator rightly believes that "icons are so popular today because of the return of the 90s, and also because it is a great way to support young independent artists without huge costs."
The main difficulty in creating these seemingly uncomplicated copper and enamel badges is "to be as clear as possible, since the objects are very small and they require high visual efficiency." Popular recognition testifies that Juliet does this task with a bang.
Bang-up betty
Where to buy: bangupbetty.com
Stacy Bowers created Bang-Up Betty in California three years ago, but she started releasing badges just that. Before that, she was an editor in local magazines, and now, in addition to the brand, she is engaged in communications in a non-profit organization connected with art. "I have been making jewelery since I was 14. I have always been a creative person and, for example, released a batch of postcards called Betty Pearl in honor of my cats. When I stopped doing this, I started making jewelery and took up the brand closely," start work. She admits that she does not consider herself a high-class illustrator, but she is helped by a friend who corrects Stacy's sketches and helps to form her own style.
Badges, like pendants, mostly contain feminist slogans in the spirit of "Smash the patriarchy", "Liberal Vagenda" and "Power Boobies". So far, there are not so many items in the brand’s arsenal, but Stacy is planning to expand the line soon: “I think people like the idea of wearing art on clothes. my agreement in a fun, economical way. When I buy badges myself, I am pleased that I support independent authors. "
I Like Cats
Where to buy: etsy.com
Everything is very clear already by name: cat lovers will probably want to buy Toby Oliver badges right here and now. In addition to models with cats and dogs, he can find T-shirts, cards and other merch. Small neat icons, perhaps the most remarkable. Made in an easily recognizable style, they are able to instantly cheer up - even the most severe person will smile at a kitten in a donut. There is also an old school version - sunset icons (image on a metal circle with a pin, as in childhood). Prices start at around ten dollars, which allows you to collect a whole company from different animals.
Robin eisenberg
Where to buy: robineisenberg.com
Agent Scully, heart-shaped pizza, Nicky Minaj, mermaid-goth - the work of the artist and illustrator Robin Eisenberg is somehow inspired by modern pop culture. “I spend most of my life drawing. When I don’t draw, I walk with my dog, drink lavender tea, watch Star Trek and dream of a garden with cactuses,” she says. Indeed, it seems that Robin is working around the clock: there is always a plot in her head and drawing objects in her hands. In addition to comics and badges, she releases skateboards, key rings, badges, stickers and more.
Juicy colors and a clear black outline - Robin draws in the best traditions of the 80s cartoons. Her characters cry green tears, wear Thrasher T-shirts and long nails. It is not a pity to spend ten dollars to support a talented illustrator.
Sleepy mountain
Where to buy: etsy.com
“Sleepy Mountain” is one of the few brands that stand up to the concept incredibly clearly: all the characters of the badges (David Bowie, Kurt Vonnegut, Wes Anderson) are depicted in a blissful nap, that is, with closed eyes. The minimalist style is reminiscent of the animated series "Rick and Morty."
In addition to famous personalities, the creator of Sleepy Moutain also depicts his favorite things: radishes, pizza, papaya, bees, crocodiles. The words "Big butt Bigger heart", "I always wanter do a Tenenbaum", "Fries before guys" are next to them. All this is worth ten dollars, sunset icons with the sleeping Quentin Tarantino or with the image of emoji - and of that five. Like many illustrators, Sleepy Mountain is not limited to icons. In the online store you can find earrings with Hillary Clinton, Frida Kahlo, peaches, pizza and stickers all with the same objects and characters.