Kate Cusack

"I love the "aha" moment when someone realizes that there is more to my design than they initially expected. It surprises people to discover what my jewelry is made of—and always brings a smile of discovery."

Kate Cusack's fascination with zippers comes from her general love of transforming ordinary materials into wearable objects of art. Because the metal zipper teeth are attached to a fabric edge, it is a material both rigid and flexible. Cusack enjoys the contrast between the whimsical shapes that she creates and the harshness of the metal teeth.

Traditionally, a zipper is a device designed simply to function. It is a fastener and not a feature. Cusack's transformation of zippers into jewelry reminds the wearer of the power of imagination and the joy of discovering a view of something that would otherwise be overlooked.

Cusack earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and her MFA in costume design for theater from the Yale School of Drama. All of Cusack's experiences—from costume design to the creation of wearable art—culminate in the Zipper Jewelry. All of her work relates to the body, combining theatrical influences and her love for the transformation of unusual materials.