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Thrillist New York
Emailed on: Friday November 14, 2008

Ryan Matthew Custom Swag

Available in the vestibule of Elsa: 217 E 3rd St, between B and C

You can never tell where a man will end up: The Ultimate Warrior wanted to be a chiropractor before discovering he loved dressing like an Indian, and Ron Jeremy taught middle school before discovering his Ultimate Warrior. For mewelry from a man seemingly destined to be a serial killer, check out Ryan Matthews.

RM's a military- and outdoors-inspired line of accessories and curios, designed by an osteology student and antiques collector whose necrotically-themed jobs and hobbies (illustrating medical textbooks, assembling human skeletons) obviously led to a career in man-jewelry. For the wrist and waist, RM's hawking handmade, double-banded, distressed leather cuffs, bracelets made from WWII pilots' wings, and repurposed Army and Navy belts hand-soldered and embossed w/ iconic imagery, e.g., anchors, and the skull and bones (unbuckle for a jolly rogering). Also on tap: hand-cut iron pendants of overlapping bird feathers, grizzly bear lapel pins w/ amber stones inset into their mouths, and metal lapel pins and necklace pendants fashioned after Indian arrowheads, honoring a storied culture, and reminding you of your gambling problem.

Matthew's available for custom commissions and jewelry recasting, but his only retail outlet's a tiny boutique in the vestibule of a recently opened bar -- not a problem, because no matter where you are, you know you'll end up bellied up to one.

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