Born and bred San Franciscan Michelle Threadgould and her aunt Margarita Lopez come together as the beautiful minds behind local furniture and jewelry line Scorpion Sisters. Inspired by imperfection, the Scorpion Sisters give new life to reclaimed materials by turning them into jewelry, art and furniture designs that are fast becoming a must-haves among Bay Area fans of upcycled luxuries.
Star shaped vintage rhinestone pin necklace, $180.
Chevron rhinestone pin necklace, $115
Antique pin necklace featuring chains and leatherwork, $115.
Designer Michelle Threadgould wearing her own designs as she displays a piece she recently created.
What inspired you to start Scorpion Sisters?
I come from a costume design background. Dreaming up new worlds through design is what I love. Margarita was a visual merchandiser and designed window displays for twenty five years. The two of us like to tell stories through our designs.
We were looking for creative alternatives to our day jobs, and one evening, walking along Embarcadero, we discussed what it would be like to run our own business. My aunt loves live edge wood, and had once made a table out of a beautiful piece that she found at the flea market. So we began going to flea markets, salvage yards and eco-sourced lumber yards and making tables.
Shortly thereafter, I remembered that my aunt used to make beautiful pieces of jewelry as a hobby, and the two of us took the same idea of using reclaimed and upcycled materials as our base. We liked the idea of making jewelry that was one-of-a-kind and asymmetrical as a way to express individuality and to give a special touch to our designs.
You often use recycled materials. Can you let us in on where you find them?
Sixty percent of our materials are reclaimed or eco-sourced. We often find vintage or broken pieces of jewelry at flea markets, thrift stores and estates sales and then we redesign the jewelry, adding crystals, feathers, African beads or whatever new materials inspire us.
What makes your brand and aesthetic distinct and unique?
Both of us are inspired by imperfect things. We like the idea of giving an old item new life and restoring its original beauty. But we do more than that. We give our jewelry an artistic and modern edge with a handmade feel.
This living room setting features the Fleur de Lys-shaped English Walnut Table made of live-edge wood and reclaimed metal legs.
The sisters successfully incorporate unconventional elements into their furniture. Featured is a white wooden plank table with leather stitching.
Obsessed with the Scorpion Sisters yet? Check out their full collection online at scorpionsisters.com. To purchase jewelry, visit their etsy shop.
Photography courtesy of Scorpion Sisters
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