The forensics of fashion

MANILA, Philippines - Confronted with a vast  array of tribal and ethnic  jewelry while walking along Session Road in Baguio City, AJ Omandac, Paul Jatayna and Kat Medina, founders of accessory brand OS (Latin for “bone”) were struck by the fact that many of the pieces they saw incorporated bone, which has played a honored role in human history. After all, it has found its way not only into utilitarian objects such as weapons and fishing equipment, but also into beautiful works of art, such as paintings, musical instruments and, of course, bodily adornments.

As both crime-show enthusiasts and archaeologists would attest, bones are intensely personal, bearing the marks of the particular life that they once supported, moved, and protected. For instance, the furcula of a bird recalls the rigors of flight, and the vertebral column of a snake speaks of its dead grace. To use bone, then, is to evoke and connect with other times and places even as one fully inhabits the present — the heart of the OS design philosophy.

A bone to pick: In history, bone was used in weapons and tools, as well as in art and bodily adornments.

Though the material might tend to be associated with the primitive, OS believes that the raw beauty of bone is extremely versatile. Combining high-quality polyurethane animal bone reproductions with industrial elements, such as nuts, bolts, screws, and chains, OS celebrates the diversity of the natural world and the inventiveness of civilization. The results, as can be seen from the pieces in its first collection of necklaces, are unmistakably contemporary and completely wearable — and give your  personal style some teeth.

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OS officially launches at Coachella at the Rockwell Bazaar, April 8-10 at the Rockwell Tent.