Do you remember the prestige that rocking a Tiffany & Co. key chain scored you back in high school? Maybe it was just my experience back in North Carolina... Regardless, I think I've finally stumbled upon the adult equivalent thanks to a new gender-neutral accessories line known as MADE BY EUGENE. It's the first time since freshman year orientation at NYU that I actually feel tempted to wear my apartment keys around my neck for the whole world to see.

Launched by Brazilian-born designer Eugene Tsai, the creative mind who has collaborated with artists like Robert Wilson, Pierre Huyghe and Dan Graham on projects that include a rock 'n roll opera with puppets (seriously), this New York-based label is all about turning iconic everyday items—such as key fobs or whistles—into fashionable pieces that are both aesthetically-pleasing and incredibly fun. Details like hand-dyed, embossed leather and solid brass hardware smarten up each whimsical item, turning boring basics into polished, luxurious and surprisingly wearable must-haves for urbanites.

And if one these pretty baubles doesn't catch your eye, perhaps Tsai's colorful butterfly net bag is more your speed; like his lanyard-style key chains, it reminds me of outdoor picnics in Washington Square Park—except this time around I'm thinking more take out from Otto than dining hall delights!

MADE BY EUGENE is available at Earnest Sewn, 821 Washington Street, (212) 242-3414.

- Caroline Stanley

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