IKC Designs

Post grad-degree paths aren't always linear -- MDs may aspire to wealth only to find themselves drawn to public service, while philosophy PhDs can easily end up explaining the epistemological consequences of endless breadsticks. Going from grad school to bringing you all manner of recycled hotness, IKC Designs

From an Ohio gal who toiled toward an architecture degree dreaming of building monumental skyscrapers but wound up working on only slightly smaller pursuits, IKC's a collection of repurposed goodies crafted from old stuff you might find in a trunk in your parents basement, assuming they keep trunks filled with doorknobs and LPs. Said doorknobs find their way onto myriad bottle stoppers, which also come topped with odd objects ranging from old painted valve knobs, childrens' alphabet blocks, and violin tuning pegs, plus sportier action from golf balls to bowling trophies, appropriate, as its casual use will find you in the gutter. Antiquated music equipment, meanwhile, pops up in the form of wallets made out of cassette tape inserts, bookends made of albums by everyone from Loverboy to Blood Sweat & Tears, and even a file organizer made by fusing together three Neil Diamond records, which explains why it looks SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD

She's also raided Monopoly sets to create cufflinks and magnets made from canons, top hats, shoes, and even dice, which your waiter doesn't think you should roll on the endless pasta feast, not when there are so many delicious options to be had a la Descartes.