Artist Spotlight: Wired Resistance – Industrial Beauty with a Conscience

Jul 15

When we first imagined the boutique side of The Disco Dolls Studio, our goal was clear: to create a space that uplifts bold, sustainable designers whose work tells a story—and sparks a conversation. One of the very first brands we knew we had to carry was Wired Resistance by artist/designer Melissa Kolbusz.

Leigh Anne met Melissa years ago when they were both part of a Chicago-based artist collective called Fluxcore. Even then, Melissa’s work stood out—fearless, industrial, and deeply rooted in sustainability. They stayed in touch over the years, and when we opened the boutique, featuring her line felt like coming full circle.

Melissa officially launched Wired Resistance in 2000 while living in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, a place buzzing with raw inspiration. Surrounded by recycling centers, warehouses, and junkyards, she began salvaging discarded industrial materials and transforming them into bold, wearable sculptures. Before "sustainable fashion" was a buzzword, Wired was already there—blending style, ethics, and innovation.

A little about the collection::

Bold. Strong. Beautiful. Aware. Marrying aesthetics and environment, founder Melissa Kolbusz designs handmade, wearable artwork from reclaimed and surplus materials. Salvaging components, such as rubber, alternator wire, tubing and craft beer cans, WIRED fashions one-of-a-kind and limited edition works with designs on the future. With a sharp edge but soft to the touch, these pieces are inspired by industrial wastelands, underwater creatures and the Chicago music scene.

Melissa’s pieces are more than accessories. They're artifacts of a process that honors both material and story. Think: rubber, wire, metal, and unexpected textures reimagined into fierce, futuristic forms. Each piece challenges what jewelry can be—and what waste can become.

Over the years, Wired Resistance has been worn and shown all over the world. In 2010, Melissa’s work hit the runway at the United Nations’ Ecochic Geneva and later in EcoChic Singapore. She’s been commissioned for avant-garde collaborations—like creating jewelry out of recycled EFFEN vodka labels—and her designs have graced the pages of Time Out Chicago, Caviar Magazine, and Green Design.

Melissa also brings her message beyond fashion. She’s led entrepreneurship seminars for teens in St. Maarten, introducing sustainability as a foundation for both product design and business building. Her background in industrial design, architecture, and engineering infuses every piece with structure, story, and soul.

We're so proud to carry Wired Resistance at The Disco Dolls Studio. It represents everything we believe in—art that’s personal, purposeful, and built to last.

Come see the collection in person. Try it on. Start a conversation. Let’s keep rewriting the rules—together.

Shop Wired Resistance in-store at The Disco Dolls Studio in Seminole Heights, Tampa. Open Tuesday–Sunday.

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