Léa Stein is most known for her plastic creations, particularly cute and colourful plastic brooches. Having begun her working career in 1957 in the French fashion industry she developed an interest in plastics as a fashion material. Working together with her chemist husband they developed a process of layering and laminating cellulose acetate to form rigid sheets which could be cut into shapes. The layering technique allowed other materials to be sandwiched in between creating unique patterns and textures.
Her brooches were produced over two time periods with vintage brooches made between 1969 and 1981. Later production began in 1991. It is thought that one way to identify a modern vs a vintage brooch is to look at the way that the fastener has been attached. Modern brooches may have the fastener riveted in place while the vintage pieces had the fastener melted onto the plastic.
The quirky designs, bright colours and light weight of the plastic make these very wearable and collectible.
Check out what we've previously had in stock. These products are no longer available, but they can be a great source of inspiration and information for collectors!