Harnessing an enormous range of tones and textures, Miranda Hicks catalyzes aesthetic futurism and traditional Southwestern jewelry-making techniques within her unique and earthy pieces.
Twisted station chains, interlocking rosary beads and dramatic, oxidized finishes define Miranda’s hand-wrought jewelry. Her talismanic understanding of metal and stone draws upon the centuries of cultural knowledge within Taos, New Mexico – where she and her studio call home.
Inspired by indigenous silversmithing, each piece captures and celebrates the natural landscapes the stones derive from. Miranda forms her sterling silver to each gem individually, highlighting the unique inclusions and organic cuts.
Equally as interesting and mystifying as her silver treatments are Miranda Hick’s unusual choices of stone – druzy amethyst, apophyllite crystal and magnetite appear alongside her signature Herkimer diamonds.
Of particular note is a dreamy phantom quartz pendant, so named for its repeating, ghost-like inclusions within the stone’s heart.
The word “sustainability” has seen a huge uptick in popularity as the world has realized the negative impact of climate change and mass production over the last several years.
Due to this shift, sustainable practices in manufacturing and production have become a poignant selling point for many fashion designers.
Many of the leaders of this movement are brands that were already implementing sustainable approaches are continuing to innovate in the pursuit of eco-friendly processes.
Closed is one such brand.
Founded in 1978 with the idea of launching Italy’s first denim label, the brand came under the direction of Til Nadler, Gordon Giers and Hans Redlefsen in 2009.
For over 40 years, the business changed hands from the original founders to Giers’ father and then onto Giers and his two close friends, and throughout this time, the brand was influenced by these three eras of owners and their European roots.
Closed defines this heritage as French imagination, Italian craftsmanship and German tradition.
Gordon Giers, Hans Redlefsen and Til Nadler Portrait via Closed
Since 2009, the trio has defined the vision of the brand – to create sophisticated, high-quality designs while ensuring that every stage of production is as sustainable as possible.
To Nadler, Giers and Redlefsen, being sustainable means much more than just being aware of their environmental impact.
To the group, practicing sustainability involves awareness of how their production methods affect people, animals and the environment in regards to social, economic and ecological issues.
Since 2018, Closed’s headquarters and warehouse have been climate-neutral, and these facilities as well as their shops and showrooms run exclusively on green electricity. In 2021 alone, 50% of the cotton the brand used was organic
Last year, eighty percent of their production took place in Europe which promoted working with local businesses, shortened their supply lines and used less energy to transport goods. This year, this amount has risen to eighty-eight percent.
The brand has recently launched their A BETTER BLUE line.
It features the usual refined denim designs crafted with vegan denim and other sustainable materials with the collaboration of Candiani, considered the “greenist weaving mill” in Europe, and Everest, an environmentally friendly, chemical free laundry company.
In 2021, Closed became a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, an organization that promotes a more equitable garment industry, motivating the company to develop a responsible sourcing policy and explore ethical business conduct.
In a culture where it’s common for companies to pass the burden of environmental responsibility onto the consumer, it’s both refreshing and encouraging for Closed to demonstrate just how much a brand can accomplish in the pursuit of beauty and sustainability.
*All imagery via Closed*
“Closed on Sustainability” – 2019
Documentary via Closed
To learn more about Closed’s sustainability, see their resources below
The extreme specificity of bonding the saturated glazes to the hand-shaped surfaces is a perilous undertaking. With each piece, Christiane risks breaking or cracking the near-finished work to achieve her rich colors.
However difficult and time-consuming, the end result is certainly worth it. Her custom glazes, whether matte, glossy or a meeting of both, imbue each piece with a distinct character. Works of art within themselves, each is refined and modern while still celebrating the humble idiosyncrasies of handmade ceramics.
Today, Christiane Perrochon creates her work in her personal atelier located in the hills of Tuscany, Italy.
Her workshop, tucked within a grove of centuries-old olive and oak trees, occupies the ground floor of what was once a medieval rectory.
The adjacent chapel has been transformed into a spacious gallery that showcases her unique, polished works.
“Beyond expanding the appreciation of glass as an art form, we want to further sustainability as a culture.” — Salime Harp Cruces & Christian Thornton
In Zapotec, xaquixe means “at the base of the mountain.”
Nestled in the heart of The Mixtec Knot, the convergence of Mexico’s two mountain ranges, sits the Studio Xaquixe workshop – a handblown glassware collective making colorful, unique home goods that are joyfully down-to-earth.
Tucked within a smithery stacked high with cast-off bottles, vases and scrap glass, Studio Xaquixe was born from the unexpected pairing of artist Christian Thornton and industrial engineer Salime Harp Cruces.
By combining their disparate skill sets and interests, the duo has catalyzed the nexus of invention and design within their totally unique glassware.
From the crushed, recycled glass that makes up their base material to the ovens and equipment powered by recycled cooking oil, sustainability is infused into the very fabric of their process.
The distinctive colorways are born from the various cast-off glass scrap that they collect from around Oaxaca – molten down into their rich saffron, turquoise and fuchsia colorways.
Custom treasures designed for galleries, studios and personal collections.
Born in Nepal, Ram Rijal spent much of his childhood observing the traditional goldsmiths of Kathmandu.
This elemental education blossomed into a passion for gold and precious gems informed by centuries of Nepalese craftsmanship, and in turn a career as a self-taught jeweler exhibiting some of the most exquisite designs in jewelry today.
The influences of Ram’s childhood are ever-present within his work. Timeless aesthetics echo from his hammered finishes – a lifetime of beauty captured within the facets of his specially selected gems.
In teardrop aquamarine, flecked brown diamond and peachy morganite, his rings and pendants ultimately feel ancient in their design – as if they have been unearthed from a bygone Shah treasure chest.
Based in the UK, Ram’s work is exhibited in galleries and small studios across Europe, as well as Harrod’s in London.
In addition to his gallery work, he has acted as the jeweler for distinguished individuals, including British author Mimi Lipton – whose personal collection, studded with custom pieces from Ram, is currently on view at London’s Objet d’Emotion.
Typically known for utilizing contrasting patterns in their designs, such as floral prints, playful gingham and lace-like eyelets, Péro’s first pre-fall delivery branches into bright, striking solids across silk reminiscent of Surya, the powerful Hindu sun goddess.
In vibrant orange, yellow, magenta and green, this chosen palette is imbued with a particularly animated spirit.
Although these pieces step away from Péro’s usual maximal approach, an inherent charm is abundant throughout the delivery.
Their ready-to-wear is handmade right down to the fabric, which is hand-loomed and dyed to achieve Péro’s signature whimsy.
French knots dot the neckline of each piece, while custom, handmade buttons nestle against the fabric.
Straddling the boundaries of elegance and play, Péro’s exuberant presentation of color is a taste of the fall collection to come.
Through their luxe fabric choices and thoughtful details, Péro’s goal of making everyday clothing joyful is achieved with garments just as pleasing to wear as they are to admire.
These are all examples of the Astier de Villatte’s desire to connect both themselves and their work with the past.
Ivan and Benoît Portrait via Carrie Solomon
This devotion to past connection shines through all their designs regardless of the medium, from notebooks to candles to dinnerware.
In their Alexandre collection, deceptively simple plates, bowls and teacups are molded and shaped by the hands of expert artisans in the designer’s workshop.
Each piece is constructed from their unique black terra cotta clay and colored in a milky-white glaze, essentially the designers’ autograph they’ve continued to employ since their founding in 1996.
A nod to their love of the antique, the mark of the Alexandre collection is a 3-dimensional icon modeled after an aged imprint found in the attic of Benoît’s father, the famed painter Pierre Carron.
The imprint bears a resemblance to Benoît’s brother, Alexandre, and is adorned onto every piece in the set, emerging from the flat surface of the tableware as if it were rising out of the white finish.
Finishing off the familial ties to the Astier de Villatte family, the collection was designed in collaboration with one of the original members of the Astier de Villatte brand and Benoît’s sister, Mathilde Carron.
Lighthearted in style, Ivan and Benoît have infused a sense of playfulness into their designs that elegantly blends the imaginative with the practical.
Their goal is to enjoy themselves as they create, and to pass that enjoyment on to collectors.
See Astier de Villatte’s workshop and printing press and learn more about Ivan and Benoît in this charming documentary produced by North Sea Air
Blush, white and cream evoke a soft power quintessential to the Daniela Gregis style – wherein crisp cottons and silks take on a polished, but relaxed feel across her seasonal offerings.
For pre-fall, she explores the depths of Liberty by contrasting pastel fiori prints against elegant, tonal solids.
Handwoven straw baskets transport the wearer from the streets of Milan to the soft hills of Bergamo, where Daniela Gregis and her small studio are located.
Made of natural material plucked from the surrounding hillsides, each basket echoes Daniela’s sustainable ethos – wherein she eschews mass market production in favor of completely handmade goods.
Daniela presents textuality across this delivery with light cottons contrasted against a selection of cotton velvets and nubby cashmere.
Looking ahead to autumn and the moody jewel tones to come, Daniela’s airy pre-fall is a welcome taste of the current season’s joy and levity.
As many designers who reside in the country can attest, the UK has long offered a cultural appreciation and welcoming community for craftspeople. Because of this, one may ask themselves how this attitude entered the psyche of the British Isles and why it persists?
The story of Great Britain’s current place in design finds its origins in the beginnings of industrialization over 200 years ago.
As machines, factories and capitalist economies began to take hold of the empire, their popularity changed the relationship between people and how their goods and architecture were produced.
“Spinning Room in Shadwell Rope Works” by Cassell Petter and Galpin ca. 1880 via Encyclopedia Britannica
The personal infused handmade clothes, buildings and household items of old gave way to mechanically mass-produced goods.
By the middle of the 19th century, a subset of the population began to long for the simplicity and charm of arts and crafts made by artisans opposed to the identical, characterless products and designs of machines.
Toast rack design by Christopher Dresser ca. 1878 via The MET
Rejecting the aesthetic values of industrialization, they romantically looked back to the pre-industrial era, seeking to revitalize the traditional artistic values of medieval and folk designs.
“Stained Glass Window” by John Scott Bradstreet ca. 1908 via The MET
Spearheaded by the art critic, John Ruskin, and the artist, William Morris, these origins of British reactionary sentiment marked the beginning of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Artists and craftspeople shifted away from chemical and synthetic materials, opting to utilize organic substances and slow, detailed processes to create their work.
“Strawberry Thief” Wallpaper by William Morris ca. 1883 via Morris & Co.
At the forefront of this movement was the redefining of the “craftsperson.”
Crafts, such as glass-making, leatherworking, embroidery and more, had always found themselves in the shadows of the more powerful and respected disciplines of fine art, architecture and industry design.
Through the proliferation of the Arts and Crafts movement, the goal was for the crafts and those skilled in them to be elevated to the same level as the other disciplines.
“Glass Burners of Murano” by Charles Ulrich ca. 1886 via The MET
From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, 130 Arts and Crafts guilds, associations and communities were founded across the British Isles; artists practicing under the movement’s philosophies gained notoriety and success.
The Arts and Crafts movement remained an influential center of British art, its ideals spreading throughout the empire and to other European countries and North America.
“The Backgammon Players” by Philip Webb ca. 1861 via The MET
Although the ideas of Modernism came to take hold of the worlds of Art and Architecture in the 1930s, the Arts and Crafts movement continue to inspire crafters and designers to the current day.
Art Tile by Kenneth and Jacqueline Besheer ca. 2010
Because of the movement’s influence on British culture and society, designers and artisans have settled in the UK becoming a part of this 170-year-old history of arts and crafts celebration and appreciation.
Jewelers Pippa Small and Ram Rijal, clothing designers By Walid, Sabina Savage and Toogood, ceramist Akiko Hirai and textile designer Catarina Riccabona, among so many others, find themselves carrying on the legacy of the United Kingdom’s prolific and influential artists and crafters of the 19th century.
Summer style is often synonymous with letting loose, being bold or letting your hair down.
For whatever adventures are before you, we present our favorite sandals and slides – from vintage to edgy, sleek to playful.
Trippen
Since Trippen’s beginnings in the early 1990’s, they have been dedicated to engineering avant-garde, architectural shoes that are not only beautiful, but supremely comfortable. In their newest slate of offerings, they explore the sustainable future with greater depth through the Kismet and Karma sandals – made entirely out of recycled rubber and leather.
Brador
Handing down Romagna crafting traditions from generation to generation, each Brador shoe is entirely handmade by their artisan team in Puglia. With a focus on detailed craftsmanship and timelessness in style, these lightweight sandals are an easy pick for day-to-day summer dressing.
Officine Creative
In search of the elusive modern classic, look no further than Officine Creative’s exquisite selection of handmade leather shoes. Made by a trusted collective of Italian craftspeople, these sophisticated sandals hold an antique charm thanks to proprietary finishing techniques. Over 100 different processes are used on each pair to achieve an authentic, lived-in patina.
Marsèll
Founded in 2001, Marsèll’s handmade designs speak to the heart of craft culture, blurring the lines between modern and bygone eras in their dynamic silhouettes. Geometric forms are shaped, rounded and arranged in their sandals through a meticulous attention to detail.
Golden Goose
Concepted by two Venetian designers, Golden Goose has gone above and beyond in producing innovative and spirited products that combine modern and vintage style. Their sandals mimic the signature distressed, streetwear aesthetic of their beloved sneakers – studded with bold star icons and dressed-up leopard prints.
The art of Kantha is a prime example of a culture’s ability to repurpose their own creations into something new.
Image via Mieko Mintz
Kantha, translating to “patched cloth,” is a Bengali export of the subcontinent.
Traditionally comprised of old, discarded garments, the technique owes its existence to the cultural and historic significance of the sari, a pillar of the region’s fashion and culture from 3,000 B.C. to the modern day.
Original 18th Century Sari Image via The MET Image Collection
To make Kantha blankets and throws, multiple saris or sections of saris are layered on top of each other, then joined together by sewing a running stitch throughout the entire collage.
An intricate running stitch in a contemporary Kantha blanket
An age-old practice, Kantha fabrics were traditionally believed to symbolize prayers, keeping the wearer safe and attracting happiness and prosperity.
Contemporarily, traditional Kantha products are still created today, with some designers finding inspiration from the technique while adding their own interpretation.
Mieko Mintz , a designer who has united her Japanese cultural heritage with her loving appreciation of Kantha to craft blankets and kimonos from layered vintage saris for modern day use.
Mieko Mintz with Sewing Artists Image via Mieko Mintz
Working with skilled Bengali craftswomen, Mintz pairs complementary saris from her extensive found collection, cutting and forming her vibrant throws and jackets.
Images via Mieko Mintz
Kimonos Image via Mieko Mintz
Sustainably repurposing old or discarded fabrics, Kantha is a long-practiced technique capable of producing a multitude of striking, singular pieces.
Because of this philosophy, the brand ignores the typical restraints afforded to delicate hand-made garments with the inspiration to paint, stretch, cut and burn their clothing the way abstract expressionists treat their canvas.
Utilizing a proprietary technique and building upon their ability to create novel designs, the brand’s silk-bonded cashmere scarves are the pinnacles their innovation.
Placing a vintage silk scarf in the center of a distressed cashmere scarf, a high-pressure needle is used to bond the edges of the silk to the cashmere.
Playing off the historic relationships of silk and cashmere, particularly in the production of scarves, Avant Toi turns their experimental spin on a classic garment, into a new and luxurious creation.
Today, their brand is infused with this same adoration – particularly present within their one-of-a-kind offerings assembled from their personally curated library of exquisite vintage and antique textiles.
Rianna Kounou and Nina Knaudt Portrait via Rianna + Nina
A part of this unique line is a jaw-dropping, brilliantly vibrant and intricately detailed orange kimono decorated in a flying crane motif of East asian origin.
Tastefully layered with sections of a glistening sheen underneath textured flowers, clouds and other bold patterns, multiple depictions of the historically symbolic bird soar around the surface of the kimono.
A long, weighty drape, undeniably the statement piece of any outfit – every aspect of its design reflects the care, attention and passion the designers have for celebrating and honoring these storied textiles in their designs.
Montana-Based Ceramic Artist Casey Zablocki fires up his most ambitious work yet.
Casey Zablocki is sleep-deprived. It’s mid-April; his ceramics studio has been running 24 hours a day for the past week; and he’s working the night shift, firing the wood-burning kiln from midnight to six in the morning.
“It’s a physical and mental marathon, like running up a mountain,” Zablocki says by Zoom. After the call he’ll doze a little, chop more wood, and do it all over again.
This is how the artist works. Due to the risk of forest fires in his home base of Missoula, Montana, he limits himself to just two main batches a year, once in April and again in December.
At the time of our conversation there was even more heat as he prepared for his September solo show at New York’s Guild Gallery, the fine-art extension of Roman and Williams Guild.
Zablocki fell in love with wood-fired pottery as an undergrad, attracted to the richly textured, at times crystallized surfaces he could achieve using the age-old method.
After apprenticing for masters like Hun Chung Lee in South Korea, the Michigan-born talent found himself at the Clay Studio of Missoula, where he still rents a cave-like anagama kiln.
“I don’t use any glaze,” he explains. “It’s all wood ash from the fire being pulled through the kiln, landing on my work, and melting at a high, high heat.” Temperatures regularly reach up to 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit.
His latest creations—his most ambitious yet—are big. Fired in two parts, one piece stands nearly nine feet tall and weighs roughly 1,200 pounds (Zablocki wants to go bigger, but he’d need a new kiln for that).
Over the course of a year, he’ll go through some five tons of clay, sculpting chairs, benches, tables, and nonfunctional artworks in an intuitive, almost spiritual process.
“There has to be some kind of energy transfer between the kiln and me,” Zablocki reflects. “I have to read what’s going on—the color of the flame, the smell of the atmosphere, the sound of the wood burning. These all tell me different things.”
An accomplished designer with an illustrious, decades-long career, Jil Sander has always been known for her sharp, feminine silhouettes draped in a refined, minimalist aesthetic.
Whether it be Bauhaus functionalism or world-renowned engineering, the influence of established German design has helped direct Sander’s inclinations and tastes since her fashion career began.
Born in Germany in 1943, Jil Sander first gained experience in fashion through studying textile design as well as working as an editor for several magazines.
Known as the “Queen of Less,” Sander initially began highlighting minimal design through her own Parisian boutique.
Portrait via Jochen Blume
Following her storefront, she founded her namesake label featuring designs that went against the grain of the flashy patterns and forms of her contemporaries.
Sander’s signature blazer along with other professional attire eventually gained attention and adoration. Business women looking to express their femininity had found their more formal attire for the workplace.
As the brand branched out to new regions and expanded into different markets, Jil Sander and her line found more and more success, and in 1999, merged with the Italian design icon, Prada.
Following this partnership, Jil Sander’s relationship with her label became strained and would never recover.
Jil Sander at A/W 1999 Menswear Collection Show via Aldo Fallai
Only a few months after joining Prada, Sander left her company and took a break from her life’s passion.
Remaining a prominent label, Sander continued to return to lead the brand for short periods of time.
Jil Sander returning to the brand in 2012 via Luoxo
In between her absences, other notable designers took charge including Raf Simmons, as well as Lucie and Luke Meier as the current heads of the Jil Sander line.
Although her place within her namesake company has been tumultuous throughout recent memory, the “Queen of Less” and her label have imparted a significant legacy on the fashion industry.
Marcella Echavarria’s Noir Handmade expertly ties the traditional art of mud silk to straightforward silhouettes producing deceptively simple garments.
Image via Noir Handmade
The creation of mud silk garments originates in the Guangdong province of China, regionally linked to the unique organic characteristics of the Pearl River.
Relying on season specific, labor-intensive work, these silks are dyed using the region’s iron-rich mud which binds with the material to create the signature dual-toned black and brown fabric.
While it remained a popular fabric in the region up to the mid-1900s, the silk garments were historically associated with the common people rather than valued as a regal material.
Echavarria’s designs have taken mud silk’s impressive qualities — such as durability, water resistance and antibacterial traits — and posit the material as high fashion.
The material is light and airy, and the textures of the mud-dyed lining simulate the feeling of liquid washing down the wearer’s body.
Marcella Echavarria Portrait via Noir Handmade
Echavarria utilizes her keen eye for fabric and finish turning simple silhouettes into elegantly easy pieces that can be worn alone or styled alongside complementary garments.
When not utilizing the classic brown and black colors of mud silk, the fabric’s neutral palette can be enhanced through bold linings of red, green and blue.
In other styles, the silks can be lightly detailed by allowing the colors to peek through the top layer in a crackling effect, creating web-like patterns wrapping around the entire garment.
For designer Chinar Farooqui, the beauty of an item lies within the process of its creation. While this ethos holds true for her clothing design, we find it especially present within her collection of softgoods.
Lighthearted, colorful and thoughtfully detailed, each piece is entirely handmade by a cooperative of artisans dedicated to preserving traditional Indian textile practices.
Injiri, meaning “real India,” is rooted in traditional Indian culture – originally the term referred to the Madras checkered textiles that comprised the ceremonial clothing worn by Kalabari chiefs.
Today, Chinar and her team craft their cottons in the traditional Gujarati technique of bhujodi, wherein complex patterns are carefully handwoven across the warp and weft of the textile to create Injiri’s signature geometric finish.
Inspired by the Aheer clan of Kachchh and the mud walled houses they call home, Injiri’s summer collection celebrates bright pops of color alongside muted brown and indigo.
Taking its namesake and graphic black patterning from the pastoral Rabari community, their classic Rebari theme makes a welcome appearance in this delivery as well.
Designs inspired by an ancient trade route, the Beirut brand builds on the traditional styles of their home region to produce new ideas.
Image via Bokja
A route spanning from the warm and salty waters of the Mediterranean Sea to the numerous gulfs of the Indian Ocean to the lush forests and rivers of Eastern Asia.
For centuries, the Silk Road served as the catalyst for the exchange of goods and ideas between a myriad of cultures established within the Eurasian and African continents.
This interlaced network allowed for regional art forms and beliefs to spread far beyond their place of origin.
As an ode to the dissemination of cultural motifs rooted into this historic trade route, Bokja aims to revive regional textile practices and give them a contemporary voice through their designs.
Huda Barudi and Maria Hibri Portrait via Bokja
Bokja’s founders, Huda Barudi and Maria Hibri, share a love for furniture, textiles, art and design.
The duo merged their experience in Silk Road fabrics and antique furniture to create a brand rich in historical knowledge and cultural appreciation.
Installation Images via Bokja
Based in Beirut, Lebanon, and drawing much of their inspiration from traditional textile designs conceived in the Levant and Central Asia, Bokja’s style is greatly influenced by numerous cultures tied to the Silk Road.
From fabric art installations to their detailed, multi-patterned garments, the designs they use are not the only link Bokja makes to this historic region.
The specialized artisans working in their textile laboratory come from 10 different countries including Iraq, Syria, Kurdistan, Egypt and Lebanon.
Delicate silks draped in rich colors and patterns make up Bokja’s line of garments, brimming with references to the textiles and motifs tied to the home and the influences of the brand and its founders.
A thousand year old technique for the modern day, designers such as Gilda Midani have found a place to incorporate this textile dyeing process into their lines. Capable of producing bold blocks of color that reveal a hint of the handmade aesthetic, Gilda leans on Batik as one of her tools in creating her whimsically inspired designs.
Dating back to at least the 12th century, the art of Batik has enjoyed a long-lasting tradition and appreciation throughout generations.
Originating on the island of Java in Indonesia, the coloring technique is rooted in the country’s extensive history of textile design.
Batik takes place during the dyeing process. It refers to the application of hot wax to the surface of a fabric to facilitate the creation of dyed and undyed sections in a garment or textile.
After dyeing, the wax is then removed through a boiling process, revealing the areas of the fabric’s original color that were protected by the wax.
Being a flexible process, this technique can be used on several materials including cotton, silk, linen and rayon.
Traditionally, Batik was used in Indonesia as a way to express ideas and spiritual beliefs through the designs imbued into the textiles.
Gilda Midani, a designer inspired by the artforms embedded in folk cultures and their histories, utilizes Batik as one of many methods to color their hand-made garments.
The handmade character seen in Batik fits perfectly into Midani’s playful design sensibilities, lending the crinkled fabric and unique, imperfect dyeing inherent in the technique to her fabrics.
“It’s what we had always seen at home, our parents hunted for beautiful things that we used every day.” – Mathilde Carron
Benoît Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli of Astier de Villatte have never produced their ceramics to the commonplace standards of dinnerware since their start in 1996, continuously searching for unorthodox ideas to implement into their work.
Ivan Pericoli and Benoît Astier de Villatte via Astier de Villatte
Exhibiting a knack for playful craft, the Robinson collection delivers a unique spin on the designers’ typical style.
An Astier de Villatte design is instantly recognizable, the result of the hand-made character infused into each piece by the studio’s highly-skilled artisans.
Known for constructing their ceramics from a unique black terra cotta clay, this collection allows the material to peek through the signature Astier milky-white glaze.
Similar to hand-drawn illustrations, this process reveals the raw, unstained texture shaped into lighthearted organic flourishes.
Any dish from the collection ties in perfectly with the brand’s ethos; their dinnerware is made to be mixed and matched with other series, bestowing upon patrons the ability to create their own personalized collections.
The decorative elements of any Robinson piece complements the usual minimal, white coloring of Astier’s signature glaze, providing any collection with an enchanting hint of ornamentation.
The duo at the brand do not deserve all the credit for this collection however.
A founding member of the namesake design house and an accomplished ceramist herself, Mathilde Carron-Astier de Villatte, Benoît’s sister, collaborated with the designers on the Robinson style.
Mathilde Carron Portrait via Carron
A childhood spent around the Villa Medici and artisan parents, Mathilde shares the same background and similar tastes in style as her brother, influenced by their parents’ desire to both find and utilize beautiful objects in the home
The result of this upbringing and her own lengthy experience with black terra cotta clay is immediately apparent in the artistry she helped impart into this collection.
Silver and gold hit the pavement (and the trails, the boardwalk, the court!) with a dynamism and boldness that takes aim at convention.
Small details, such as a raised, brushed silver logo and cheeky leopard-print laces, add an extra touch of playfulness.
Unlike a pumpkin coach heading to a glittering ball, these orange sneaks will not disappear at midnight – instead walking in cool comfort all through the day and night.
Their unique terracotta color, joined by another offering in ochre yellow, adds a welcome layer of earthiness to Golden Goose’s overall delivery.
Dreamed up in 1968, with the simple idea of becoming Italy’s first luxury denim label, Marithé and François Girbaud established what has now become Closed jeans.
Helmed today by friends and business partners Til Nadler, Gordon Giers and Hans Redlefsen, innovation and high standards define this iconic collection of jeans that are both flattering and functional.
Earthy, accessible and versatile, Closed emphasizes exceptional quality, fit and finish alongside a commitment to sustainability in production.
Organic, recycled cotton, green electricity and environmentally-friendly indigo sit at the core of the company’s ethos.
Elegantly subtle designs inspired by the essential
It is no surprise that Kaval’s palette is as natural as their creative approach, wherein they hand cut and sew organic fabrics to highlight the material’s best qualities.
For summer, they have crafted a palette seemingly inspired by the diverse Japanese landscape – a tranquil color wheel of slate, sea, sand and sky.
Slate
Khadi silk, a traditional hand woven Indian silk, is a versatile fabric that is breathable in summer heat while still being warm enough for cooler months. Kaval’s approach to the material, seen here steeped in a midnight dye, celebrates its levity – making it an ideal fabric for layering underneath their thicker linen offerings.
Sea
Kaval’s use of natural indigo creates their oceanic hues. By steeping linen and silk in the storied pigment, they achieve a range of blues from cornflower to cobalt. The color depends on the methodology and concentration of the indigo extract, hand-dyed to achieve the desired saturation.
Sand
No stranger to the art of traditional shirting, Kaval relaxes their approach with square silhouettes and handmade Mashiko ceramic buttons. The overall feel is relaxed and effortless, particularly when layered underneath a sakiori woven coat, crafted from shredded, antique kimono silk.
Sky
In a final nod to the ultimate summer color, Kaval presents a selection of soft silks and linens in a crisp white. Reminiscent of rolling clouds, bleached boardwalks and the very edge of cresting surf, these pieces catalyze the breeziness of a season rich with sunshine.
Candles for Royalty, Presidents and Prime Ministers
Artwork by Lawrence Mynott via Cire Trudon
For centuries, French society has been defined by its tumultuous political and cultural upheaval and subsequent rebuilding.
Incredibly, through these periods of destruction and rebirth, the Trudon name has continued to endure.
All Images via Cire Trudon
Considered France’s oldest remaining candle maker, Cire Trudon continues to carry on the legacy of handcrafting candles fit for a royal palace. Their process is steeped in hundreds of years of traditional French wax craft.
This legacy has provided the brand with unmatched expertise in every step of producing a candle in their Normandy-based workshop including perfuming, preparing and pouring the wax.
Further building on the tradition and artistry involved in their candle creation, these skillfully crafted candles are housed in elegant glass vessels hand-blown in Tuscany, Italy. These vessels are adorned with the brand’s dignified emblem which features and honors the bees that produce their wax.
Over a century ago, candles were seen first as a source of light before anything else. Contemporarily, a candle’s scent is now seen as its most attractive feature. In this regard, Cire Trudon delivers at the highest level.
When lit, as a smokeless flame slowly and steadily melts the concentrated, long-lasting candle. Its fragrances, tested and perfected in collaboration with world-class perfumers, effortlessly fill the room.
Solis Rex
Inspired by the elaborate parquetry of Château de Versailles’s famous Hall of Mirrors, this regal perfume radiates vapours of wax, candelabra and palace. A sumptuous trail of incense weaves through a tapestry of coniferous trees, cut with solar rays of citrus fruits.
Odalisque
Wrapped in citrus and wood barks, the orange blossom weaves a painter’s dream from which escapes the pale curl of smoke from a narghile. Like an orientalist painting, furiously romantic, the vigorous scent of the wild juniper and the solar splinter of citrus fruits spring out like a thin steel blade in silky shadow of vanilla.
Spiritus Sancti
Splinters of crimson, gold and olibanum, heady and holy perfume of altar candles, luxurious wake of the senses and perfume-burners where amber splutters : under the nave of a cathedral, the jubilant choir and the holy scents rise into the souls.
