A leading Kiwi jeweller has teamed up with fast-food giant KFC to release a limited-edition collection inspired by Hot & Crispy Boneless Chicken - yes, you read that right.
The crowd-favourite has returned to menus across the motu and to commemorate the occasion, KFC and avant-garde jeweller Nick Von K have collaborated on a spicy line of bespoke jewellery that celebrates the all-important bones that make fried chicken a reality. Bad to the bone, indeed.
The Boneless Collection features 11 hand-crafted sterling silver and pearl necklaces - an ode to each of the 11 secret herbs and spices - and with Halloween on the horizon, this skeletal sartorial moment could be in hot demand, no bones about it.
"There's no bones in the chicken, so I took that as inspiration and created an 11-piece collection - one for each of the secret herbs and spices," Nick Von K said about the collaboration.
"These are elevated, one-off pieces that would suit anyone and their style - from streetwear to couture. I can see them on an indie kid or the coolest grandma."
Suspended on solid sterling silver chains or strings of cultured pearls, the bones are arranged so each necklace is unique. However, the process of creating the collection was far from bare bones: according to Nick, the necklaces are designed in 2D before being programmed into 3D software and printed in wax. From here they're cast in silver and hand-finished to a fine polish, where they're then either encrusted with cubic zirconia gemstones, strung on the pearls, or added to his signature hexagon link chains.
"Each link is individually cast, and hand finished before being put together to form the chain. It's time intensive but it's so worth it for a distinctive look," he added.
Based on Auckland's iconic Karangahape Road, Nick has been making jewellery for over a quarter of a century, initially designing for Ricochet before developing his eponymous brand - which launched at New Zealand Fashion Week in 2010.
Select pieces from the limited-edition line can be purchased online (retailing at $1299), with all proceeds to be donated to KFC's charity partner Surf Life Saving New Zealand.
"This collaboration is our way of celebrating the thing that KFC fans love so much about Hot & Crispy Boneless - the missing bones - whilst simultaneously providing to an amazing cause in Surf Life Saving NZ. We're thrilled to partner with Nick to bring this launch to life," KFC's Clark Wilson added in a statement.
Meanwhile, Hot & Crispy Boneless is now available at KFC nationwide for a limited time.
