Slow → articles tagged with craftsmanship

GERTRUD & GEORGE

We are extremely proud to elaborately present lifestyle brand GERTRUD & GEORGE: the main collaborator in the very first Our Current Obsession named NOIR. The brand which is the brainchild of the very gifted Nick F. Cerutti, is a tribute to Gertrude Stein and George Sand, whose lives and respective bodies of work never ceased to redefine the art of writing and one's perception of gender. Founded in 2001 to serve bespoke and semi-bespoke purposes prominently in Japan to begin with, GERTRUD & GEORGE nurtures an intrinsic sense of equilibrium between aesthetics, function and execution in order to conceive pristine high-end goods. Since 2011 Nick and his partner Mathieu Annen have shifted their focus towards accessories and bags, which resulted in a perfect jet-black line named The Esquire Suite, consisting of 7 models which come in three different sizes and varying river buffalo grains and depths. [ Continue reading ]

BOS Ice Tea

We really like South African BOS, employing potent African mythology and rich symbolism to articulate its message and brand of premium ice teas. The BOS brand; its packaging, which feature these familiar traditional African emblems like the lion, sirius and the celestial wolf; and the original range of ice teas (which has been extended by now) were conceived by its founder Grant Rushmere. In 2009, Rooibos farmer and entrepreneur Richard Bowsher joined Grant as a co-founder of the business. Together they established the business and launched BOS unto the South African market in June 2010, with the brand spreading worldwide since. And although a very significant growth over the last few years the company still has its core goals close to its heart: to become a globally successful brand and beverages business; which is ethically managed (from farm to table), and is inspiring to its customers, employees and business partners. [ Continue reading ]

WorkOf

Since its foundation in January of this year New York-based WorkOf is changing the way interior designers and consumers connect to independent, locally made home décor by creating a go-to source for direct access to the nation’s independent designers and makers. Founders Charlie Miner and John Neamonitis saw that interior designers wanted an easier way to source independent design, and consumers were interested in furnishing their homes with locally made home décor but neither had a reliable destination to source these pieces and therefore they created the digital platform to provide in this service. Since its launch in January the start-up has grown to include over 40 designers and makers with more than 300 home design objects. During NYCxDesign this last spring, WorkOf debuted the inspirational WorkOf Apartment. Using close to 40 pieces from their partnered designers, the whole apartment installation introduced products from Calico, Souda, Eskayel and Vidi Vixi, among several others, resulting in an amazing overview of their catalogue which is now also offered online. [ Continue reading ]

House Industries x Richard Sachs

Last Friday marked the grand opening of the beautiful Richard Sachs exhibition which was designed by House Industries at the Rapha Cycle Club NYC, and will run for the upcoming month. The inspirational exhibition walks through the bicycle builder’s personal industrial revolution from his early days as an apprentice to becoming a modern folk hero in the cycling community. The show highlights the balance of tradition and innovation with which Sachs has built a loyal following and profoundly influenced cycling culture worldwide. House Industries, an internationally-recognized graphic, product and type design firm, has been a long-time supporter of the Richard Sachs program and therefore makes for the perfect partner of this inspirational overview. [ Continue reading ]

Apparatus’ Horsehair Lamps

Founded by Gabriel Hendifar and Jeremy Anderson in 2012, the New York-based design studio Apparatus has a specialty in creating elegantly robust lighting fixtures. At the time of the foundation Hendifar, a former fashion designer, and Anderson, who worked in PR, had just moved in together in Los Angeles and were unsatisfied with what was available on the market. After relocating the company to New York, Apparatus took off. Design-wise the created aesthetic by Apparatus is the product of playful experimentation with vintage components as well as taking inspiration from the time honored method of American industrial design, aiming to mary both form and function. We particularly love the Pendant and Sconce lamps out of their horsehair series. In the beautiful designs which were presented at last International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in May wefts of horsehair are combined with brass and etched glass to create these amazing and extraordinary lamps. [ Continue reading ]

Commodity

When the concept for the inspiring fragrance innovator Commodity came up, the goal was to offer something new, or in a sense bringing back the traditional personalized, reminiscent of the French and English aristocracy, way of finding your personal fragrance, rather then smelling like everybody else. After a year of preparation a Kickstarter campaign was started in April 2013 and with a final backing that far exceeded the goal that was set a new exciting company was born. Over a year now, Commodity has online been offering premium scents without the usual markup, nicely tailored to your style and preferences, delivered all the way to your door, leaving that sincere mark that was intended on a rather generic industry, dominated by big luxury brands and marketing instead of intrinsic products. [ Continue reading ]

Haydenshapes x Alexander Wang

We love this amazing collaboration between Alexander Wang and Australian Haydenshapes to outfit the latest Soho flagship store's Cage installation. The project features five marble print surfboards, exclusively created by the leading Australian surfboard brand Haydenshapes for this installation. The insanely beautiful marble boards, being also a typical element within Wang’s aesthetic, are suspended from the cage wall, while a monolithic, large black wave sculpted from black sand looms occupies the other area of the space. We just can't keep our eyes of the tremendous boards and their graphic patterns, photographs of unique marble slabs developed by Haydenshapes founder Hayden Cox and Wang himself, which were digitally printed onto silk, then onto the award winning 'Hypto Krypto' boards; to create one of a kind visual art pieces of exquisite beauty. [ Continue reading ]

Daphnis and Chloe

Recently we came across the inspiring Athens-based Kickstarter funded webstore named Daphnis and Chloe, founded by Evangelia Koutsovoulou, which focusses on culinary herbs and spices for chefs and home cooks who are looking for Mediterranean ingredients of the finest quality. Local varieties of Mediterranean herbs are sourced from the areas of Greece where they naturally perform better, making their products of the highest quality. In the seasonings and infusions one finds at Daphnis and Chloe, city cooks can smell and taste the genuine bounty that can only be encountered in the natural state of things, without having to visit the remote islands and valleys where each herb has chosen to grow. Around these exquisite products a distinct aesthetic was created online and in the packaging, making Daphnis and Chloe by far the most elegant choice when looking for the finest herbs and spices. [ Continue reading ]

Octovo x Tilley Surfboards

For the second installment in their Off Map series in which they partner with brands and craftsmen, accessory label Octovo has collaborated with Southern Oregon-based Tilley Surfboards of Jason Tilley. This resulted in an extraordinary series of five custom board designs. Constructed out of hand-shaped foam combined with custom-milled wooden skins, each board has its own beauty, showing both color and the natural beauty of the wood. The boards feature a leash cup made of titanium or bronze and come in a tailored bag made out of UV and water-resistant material. The bags are padded and reinforced at the nose and tail with leather covers for added protection resulting in a utmost elegant collection bringing together craftsmanship and aesthetics. [ Continue reading ]

Pastoe x Tenue de Nîmes

We are very happy to finally share the earlier announced and just released Pastoe x Tenue the Nîmes collection, featuring special denim editions of two Pastoe classics: the FM06 lounge chair and the KM05 stool. The collection is based on the shared love for quality and craftsmanship by both the centennial Utrecht-based company and Tenue. Furthermore the collaboration underlines both companies’ philosophy of using sustainable materials and striving for simplicity, functionality and eye for detail. The FM06 lounge chair will be available in black steel wire with walnut wooden armrests and features a Kurabo-denim upholstered seat and back cushion, which has an exclusive leather patch attached at the side, showing both the ‘Pastoe x Tenue de Nîmes’ logo and its serial number. The KM05 stool also comes in black steel wire and features a detachable Kurabo-denim cushion, also with a leather patch containing the ‘Pastoe x Tenue de Nîmes’ logo. From today, both the lounge chair and the stool are available exclusively in the Tenue the Nîmes stores and online. [ Continue reading ]

J. Panther Luggage Co. RollTote

It's been a while coming, but good ideas sometimes need time, and the latest by the J. Panther Luggage Co. is again of our highest liking. Their all new 3-way carry RollTote brings modern functionality and refinement, to the classic, utilitarian roll-top backpack. To the standard ruc mode two additional, flexible carry options were added: removable, fully adjustable leather shoulder straps attach via ‘O’ ring for ruc carry, with the option to re-attach one of these straps across the top of the bag for tote-style use. A leather side handle, meanwhile, offers the third option of hand carry. Precise positioning of straps and handle ensures optimum weight distribution and comfort for all physiques; like the reinforced base these are crafted from premium Horween leather that is highly durable and ages beautifully. The RollTote comes in the colors Black, Olive and Sand in J. Panther's signature 21oz lightly waxed, water-resistant canvas promising the RollTote to see you through the heaviest storm. [ Continue reading ]

ellen:truijen store Maastricht

On the 12th of June, our friend designer Ellen Truijen officially opened her first brand store in Maastricht; the city where she resides and works in the far south of The Netherlands. The store sells, naturally, Ellen's leather bags and accessories, but also clothing, lingerie and other must haves by other designers. Grown out of the store named mos, which housed in the same location and already sold Ellen's products, the shop now truly sails under the flag of the ellen:truijen brand. Focus in the offered products lays on designers who still cherish locality, creating honest quality products like Ellen herself, such as POPcph, Brosbi, Lena Berens, the lingerie of Gent-based La Fille d'O, lipbalm by Kiyoko, the immaculate Mast Brothers chocolate and accessoires by Gabriel+Guevara and Lisanne Janssen next to Ellen's own beautiful collection. [ Continue reading ]

TSATSAS x Ramon Haindl

We love this beautiful collaboration between German fine leather house TSATSAS and photographer Ramon Haindl, initiated by Aesthetics Habitat. The project is the latest endeavor from Aesthetics Habitat's motivation to stimulate independent creation of genuine content in cooperation with brands and creative visionaries. And this particular collaboration is even coming from a like-minded neighbourhood as both, photographer Ramon Haindl and fine leather craftsmen TSATSAS, live and work in Frankfurt am Main. Subtle structures and a high level of attention to the characteristics of surface invite you to observe the fundamental significance of skin without the disturbance of color. A sensitive ensemble of details and protagonists embracing a simply perfect product. Creative Direction on the project was done by our friends of Deutsche & Japaner, completing the line-up of creatives perfectly. [ Continue reading ]

Concrete Matter

Concrete Matter, the Man’s Gift Co. began as a collaborative effort between graphic designer Tim, former FOAM curator Jacob and entrepreneur Tomas; three young, creative guys from Amsterdam. Bound together by a passion for useful, durable and beautiful products, they set up a small but comprehensive online store called Concrete Matter in early 2012. Inspired by the admiration and applause the online store received, their confidence grew that they weren’t the only ones with a passion for beautiful and durable goods. This confidence led to a new idea: an actual store, tangible and visible, located somewhere in Amsterdam’s vibrant city centre. A place to showcase their products and ideas in optima forma. A location was found in a former video rental at the Haarlemmerdijk, a street which over the last few years is given a totally new face with a lot of interesting stores and initiatives opening among which is Tenue de Nîmes, making it a perfect location for Concrete Matter. [ Continue reading ]

Look over the Watchmakers’ Shoulders

We have slowly been moving into the fascinating world of hand-made watches over the last two years, and this 'Look over the Watchmaker's Shoulders' by German watchmaker NOMOS Glashütte inhabits everything we love about the beautiful craft. Since 2005 NOMOS has been building all its movements and watches, among which are the beautiful Tangente, Orion and Zürich models, in-house in its facilities in Glashütte, Saxony which is located in the South of Germany. The year 1845 marks an important year for that city, as it was the moment when Ferdinand Adolph Lange settled in Glashütte as the first master watchmaker, following a call to the Royal Saxon government, after which he received 7000 'Taler' start-up funding and began training the first watchmaker. Since then the watches and fine mechanical industry has been the economic backbone of the city. Some of the more renowned watch company operating from Glashütte at the moment are A. Lange & Söhne, Bruno Söhnle Uhrenatelier Glashütte and ofcourse NOMOS Glashütte, who has given this beautiful insight into its Chronometrie. [ Continue reading ]

The Very Last of the Very Best

Recently we came across this beautiful and inspirational project by the Bergen, Norway-based Of and With Studios. They recently released a collection of leather bags crafted from the last batch of leathers ever tanned on Osterøy Island, Norway. The project started in the summer of 2010, when they met Erling Teigland, initially to find out if there were grounds for a collaboration. Erling had worked at the Borge tannery since he came out of high school in 1970. Unfortunately only months after the first meeting between Of and With and Erling, he had his last day at work, because the world-renowned tannery was forced to shut its doors. The company that had been tanning since 1889, quietly supplying the finest names in high-end goods, from Louis Vuitton and Hermès to entire African royal families was no more. This moment sparked the ambition to start a journey to honor sincere and joyful craftsmen like Erling and the fine tradition that Borge represented. A journey that continued on to eventually become the first in-house lifestyle brand by Of and With Studios named Ætt. [ Continue reading ]

ic! berlin

Berlin-based ic! berlin produces beautiful and unique screwless sheet-metal glasses, which are crafted by hand in Germany's capital. With their signature clip-on hinge system all the glasses by ic! berlin feature a hinge, which holds together both frame and temple with a detachable clip totally free of screws. Therefore all glasses can be disassembled and reassembled individually. Next to the clip-on system ic! berlin has also found an extremely flexible steel for their frames, which added up with the hinge system turn the glasses into small unbreakable objects. A very convenient solution for a lot of people, with a lot of glasses being well-designed, but very fragile. For founder Ralph Anderl his glasses combine ideas and perfectionism: the glasses are elementary and naked, in the same way they are as much off the wall as they are suitable for everyday use. [ Continue reading ]

Telar by Nido

We really appreciate the latest endeavor by Argentinian knitwear brand Nido. Under the name Telar the brand now offers beautiful artisan hand loom woven textiles parallel to their own beautiful collections of wearable knitwear products. The loom, which is used in the knitting process of the textiles, is one of the earliest devices which was used for production of fabric in Argentina. It is a wooden rectangle which holds threads lengthways by fixing them on both ends. Thanks to its specific mechanism, the loom is able to lift these threads individually or in groups, creating an opening, or 'calada', through which weft threads can pass. These interlaced threads form the cloth, making the textiles both aesthetically and technically very appealing. [ Continue reading ]

Midori x Takeo

We love this extraordinary collaboration between two of our favorite Japanse companies Midori and Takeo Paper, in which they experiment with the product of paper in a beautifully manner, both print-wise and in the use of unique sorts of paper. Under the name 'Card Labo' the two Japanese companies have pledged to work together and create beautiful new products combining their individual specialties. The first set of products is a wonderful start. Designed in an 'Encyclopedia' format in which various printing processes were put to use, four series of four greeting cards with each a different theme were developed, truly engaging the senses. [ Continue reading ]

Alastair Philip Wiper at S.N.S. Herning

We really appreciate the work of Copenhagen-based Englishman Alastair Philip Wiper and love his recent series in which he combines two of our favorite concepts: aesthetics and craftsmanship. The beautiful series shot in the familiar clean aesthetic of the photographer shows the factory of another favorite of ours: Danish company S.N.S. Herning located in Herning and famous for its knitwear. The company was founded in 1931 by Søren Nielsen Skyt, and enjoys worldwide recognition for producing their iconic fisherman sweater using a bobble technique developed by Skyt, intended to help with insulation. The company has had it’s ups and downs, and the collection has grown and shrunk, and until just a few years ago it had shrunk so much that it was almost non-existent, surviving only by selling a few of the classic fisherman’s sweaters. That is when the grandson of the original Søren Skyt, also Søren Skyt, decided to quit his job and focus on reviving the company after which the factory depicted by Wiper was taken into use. [ Continue reading ]

Octaevo

Octaevo is a new stationery and miscellanea company of our utmost liking, based in Mediterranean Barcelona. The brainchild of Zurich-born Marcel Baer happened by coincidence; "and it felt right, because it felt like home." As an independent Art Director and Graphic Designer Baer had always loved the romance stationery evokes through its permanent nature and historic appeal. With an inherited passion for the sea, history, traveling and the Mediterranean, possibly from his Spanish grandmother, Baer wanted to create a new kind of stationery that combined all the elements which inspired him. With his products Octaevo aims at explorers, collectors and dreamers as he is just that himself. All the pieces are made to be held close and built to last, produced exclusively with regional partners and support artisan workshops. Through these collaborations with inspiring creatives, Octaevo has the ambition to form a platform to showcase Mediterranean talent. [ Continue reading ]

Kokeshi dolls

We've slowly been collecting Kokeshi dolls for some years now. From the moment we found the first doll at Tortoise General Store we have been fascinated and impressed by the craft that goes into the production of the dolls, which clearly shows. In this video the modern production process of the Kokeshi has beautifully been caught on camera by Sàneyuki Owada of Japanstore. However, the origin of the beautiful Kokeshi dolls lays in North-East Japan, where it was first produced as wooden toy for children during the closing chapter of the Edo period, which ended in 1868. These first dolls were produced by woodwork artisans, called Kiji-shi, who normally made bowls, trays and other tableware by using a lathe. They began to make small dolls in the winter to sell to visitors who came to bathe in the many hot springs near their villages, which was believed to be a cure for the demands of a strenuous agricultural lifestyle. [ Continue reading ]

Juglans Chest of Drawers

Larkbeck is a London-based studio collaboration between two furniture makers: Rafe Mullarkey and Laszlo Beckett. Their central London workshop focuses on traditional cabinet making techniques, combined with contemporary technologies. The two designers celebrate the development of practical art within the design of fine furniture. Their furniture is produced in limited editions, constructed from solid hardwood, and explore the decorative possibilities of domestic objects reaching back to a more classical aesthetic. Larkbeck's furniture consist of sculptural elements of contrasting surfaces and planes, which is incorporated in to forms derived by purpose. We particularly love the beautiful Juglans Chest of Drawers designed by Rafe Mullarkey, which is the third piece within the Fold Editions series and will be presented to the public at Design Shanghai 2014. Constructed from American Black Walnut, the piece is shaped to accentuate sculptural elements consisting of contrasting surface planes, presented in an overall form derived by purpose. [ Continue reading ]

Village Cold Brew for LiveBuild

We love coffee in all its forms, and last weekend our favorite coffee bar The Village Coffee & Music was kind enough to offer a delicious cold brew to the public during the 24 hour LiveBuild fundraiser, which took place throughout the city of Utrecht. Illustrator Raymond Teitsma was responsible for the design of the label on the medicine-like bottle, exclusively brewed for and entirely donated to the project. This year's 24 hour LiveBuild raised money for the Manganjo water project. This endeavor aims to achieve the facilitation of clean drinking water and proper sanitation in the Cameroonian villages: Mabonji, Nganjo Nene and Nganjo Titi. Once, through amongst others the donations during last weekends fundraiser, the villages are provided with the proper wells, they will manage and maintain the water system itself from a yet to establish local water business. [ Continue reading ]