Imelda Marcos starts recycling her trinkets

Imelda Marcos, once one of the world's most conspicuous consumers, yesterday launched a jewellery line that she described as "both worthless and priceless". It is unlikely to unduly dent the sales of either Tiffany or Cartier.

The 77-year-old widow of the late Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos has lent her name to "The Imelda Collection". It includes earrings, necklaces, brooches, pins, combs and cuff links.

Many of the items have been recycled from things Marcos picked up on her travels, while others are fashioned from items the government failed to seize after the family's fall from power. Their prices, however, are not for ordinary Filipinos. A hairpin made of olive jade, freshwater pearls, antique French glass, Austrian crystals and woven glass beads with white, gold-plated chain was priced at 5,800 Philippines pesos (£61), about half a month's salary for an office employee. A necklace made from a vintage brooch, glass beads, cat's-eye gemstone, freshwater pearls, orange calcite and ribbons cost 15,600 Philippines pesos (£165).

Mrs Marcos was notorious for her shopping sprees abroad. Following her husband's fall in 1986, she was found to have collected 1,220 pairs of size-8 shoes.