Jewelry of a higher caliber
\nPhilly designer uses gun parts as ammo for personal fashion
\nBy Kathy Matheson
\nThe Associated Press
\nArticle Last Updated: 09\/22\/2007 12:50:57 PM MDT
\nSalt Lake Tribune, United States<\/p>\n
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PHILADELPHIA – There have been many proposals for keeping guns off the streets of this violence-plagued city, but maybe none as unusual as Melanie Brandon’s: Melt them down into jewelry.
\n Runway models wore the gunmetal pieces at Brandon’s two shows during Fashion Week in New York.
\n The jewelry, part of her Melani Von Alexandria collection, was Brandon’s creative attempt to address a harsh reality: Philadelphia is on pace for its highest murder rate in a decade.
\n ”Just like a lot of Philadelphians, [I was] frustrated with people getting killed left and right,” Brandon said. ”Why sit by and complain about what’s going on? . . . You have to be part of the solution.”
\n She wrote a proposal in July and sent it to the mayor, top police brass and the sheriff. It ended up on the desk of Paris Washington, chief weapons officer for the Sheriff’s Department. Last month, he escorted Brandon and five confiscated firearms to a local welder’s studio.
\n The welder, working from Brandon’s designs, made the guns into a ring, brooches and several pendants. You can learn more about Brandon at www.melanivonalexandria.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jewelry of a higher caliber Philly designer uses gun parts as ammo for personal fashion By Kathy Matheson The Associated Press Article Last Updated: 09\/22\/2007 12:50:57 PM MDT Salt Lake Tribune, United States PHILADELPHIA – There have been many proposals for keeping guns off the streets of this violence-plagued city, but maybe none as unusual […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[411],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n