Capiz shells have been a big trend for a while, used mainly as wall hangings and in chandelier fixtures. I didn't pay too much attention to the material, since I found it to be cumbersome, noisy and well...a bit of a rip-off. I recall west elm selling three strands of skimpy, hanging capiz shell pendants strewn on fishing wire, at an alarming price for the quantity given.
Remember the big "tissue-weight cotton" layering trend of a few years back? You know it was just a trend manufactured in order to get unsuspecting shoppers to buy multiple tank tops. Same for the capiz shell pendants- they look lovely clustered together, but you'd need to spent about $200+ for a proper look.
Above, is a great example of how you can incorporate the luminous qualities of capiz shells without a lot of hassle, fishing wire, or dealing with unfair price points. It's a capiz bowl from Ten Thousand Villages (1122 Walnut St). Wouldn't it look fantastic with a bunch of lemons in it?
*Note: I've been told that capiz is actually a thin, off-white colored portion of the shell of a clam.
(photo from tenthousandvillages.com)
