February finds / Global
Inventory No 100
We present a premier selection of porcelain, ceramics, fine brews and eco-friendly footwear.
01
Pendant lamp
Noidoi
Romanian-born designer Cosmin Cioroiu met sweetheart and studio co-founder Kathrine Lønstad while studying at Copenhagen’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts. The pair’s Meld Lamp is made from two pieces of cast stoneware. “Making a stoneware pendant lamp is unusual but that’s why it’s special,” says Cioroiu.
noidoi.no
02
Pendant lamp
Vitamin
This lamp from London outfit Vitamin is made from spun aluminium and can be angled to cast light in different directions. “We love the simplicity of pendant lighting but it can be constrictive in terms of atmosphere; the adjustable aspect changes the mood,” says Chris Vernall, who co-founded the studio with brother Andy a decade ago.
vitaminliving.com
03
Saké
Soto
Soto founder Billy Melnyk put 12 years of experience in the alcohol game into developing this rice wine. Made with fresh water from the mountains of the Niigata prefecture, the saké is a Junmai Daiginjo: a prized variety made with polished rice and without added alcohol.
sotosake.com
04
Men’s grooming
Hunter Lab
Inspired in part by the raft of similar-looking products that permeate the male skincare market, Melbourne grooming label Hunter Lab created a range of natural products with a considered aesthetic that is reflected in the contents. Expect ingredients such as shea butter, passion-fruit oil and wakame (seaweed).
hunterlab.com.au
05
Cider
Galipette
Meaning “somersault” in French, Galipette is a leap forward in both branding and taste for Gallic brews. The apples are plucked from the orchards of Brittany and Normandy between September and December and the silty-clay soil in these parts produce a semi-sweet cider with a sparkle.
galipettecidre.com
06
Boots
Topo Designs x Danner
Though hand-stitched in Portland, Oregon, these hardy stompers combine know-how from across the US, with Horween leather from Chicago and cotton fabric from South Carolina. Beneath the firm exterior is a waterproof Gore-Tex lining and a chunky sole that’ll keep you surefooted on the slopes. The hardiness of Danner’s no-nonsense boots is softened by a colourful turquoise touch from the Topo Designs team.
topodesigns.com; danner.com
07
Beer
Tate x Fourpure Brewing Co
Craft beers are 10 a penny today (and not all good, either) but this one beats the battalions of pretenders. The collaboration was launched last year to celebrate the Tate’s Switch House extension, the angular silhouette of which adorns the cans courtesy of UK designer Peter Saville. The best way to sample its fruity charms? “Pull up a bar stool after a visit to the gallery,” says Fourpure co-founder Tom Lowe.
tate.org.uk; fourpure.com
08
Shoe brush
Tangent GC
This brush set from Sweden’s Tangent GC is made from kilned ash and carved to sit perfectly in your hand. The Paraguayan horsehair bristles are thick-set and evenly cut to give your shoes a uniform sheen.
tangentgc.com
09
Porcelain
Studio Hanne Willmann
Following an invite from Design Week Mexico to visit the state of Jalisco, German industrial designer Hanne Willmann teamed up with the Bernabé family (experts in petatillo clay) to produce these tasteful earthenware pots.
hannewillmann.com
10
Toothbrush
Bytaps
Leaving his career in the business world, Kyoto-born Tomonori Nakamura started lifestyle brand Bytaps in 2016. For this toothbrush, he worked with craftsmen in Niigata and a brush-maker in Osaka. The result is a clean handle, carved from aluminium, with a replaceable hi-tech brush that the manufacturer says requires no toothpaste.
bytaps.co
11
Ceramics
La Petite Fabrique
Lucile Sciallano relocated to Brunswick, Australia, from her native France in 2014 and now creates handmade slip-cast pottery in her garden shed. These pieces, fired in a kiln just across the road, bear slightly irregular lips, unique shapes and are adorned with uneven and distinctive drizzles of indigo glaze. The adorably ragtag collection ranges from larger bowls and vases to bijou cups.
lapetitefabriquedebrunswick.com
12
Mosquito repellent
Roullier White
During a research trip to India, Lawrence Roullier-White was dismayed to discover that his run-of-the-mill bug spray was caustic enough to dissolve a watchstrap, an incident that inspired him to conjure up his own: Mrs White’s Unstung Hero. The organic lemon-tea-scented mosquito repellent is a safe alternative to the typically noxious cocktail in most bottles and its old-school look, jovial name and zebra-striped bottle are inspired touches.
roullierwhite.com
13
Vase
Kimu Design Studios
Made from Taiwanese beech and bronze-coated iron, this Pinocchio vase is designed by Kimu Design Studios in Taipei. Originally a stationery brand, its interest eventually turned to homeware, focusing on lighting and vases that draw on traditional eastern shapes such as Chinese lanterns.
kimudesign.com
14
Casserole dish
Borough Furnace
John Truex and Liz Seru have been molding scrap metal into cast-iron cookware in Syracuse, upstate New York, since 2011. The pair produce pots and skillets from discarded items such as car brakes, and fuel their furnace with recycled vegetable oil. The made-to-order cast-iron Dutch oven is coated in glossy enamel for efficient cleaning; the raised grooves on the underside of its lid catch and recondense rising steam.
boroughfurnace.com
15
Book
Simon Phipps
Written and shot by photographer Simon Phipps, this artful 190-page edition celebrates the best buildings in London’s inner boroughs in monochromatic majesty – with attention paid to a few lesser-known exemplars. At last, a book that tackles brutalism with a delicate touch.
septemberpublishing.org
16
Wooden toys
Maison Deux
Husband and wife Woes and Pia Weinberg started Maison Deux in 2016 after the birth of their twins. These wooden blocks are made of French oak and, with rounded corners nattily printed with letters and numbers, they have a refined feel, so you won’t mind your toddlers leaving them around.
maisondeux.com
17
Plant pots
Camilla Engdahl
Swedish designer Camilla Engdahl started making ceramics in her Gothenburg flat 20 years ago. Today she fashions everything from teapots to planters in Skövde. These clay herb pots boast a pleasantly grooved texture and will sit pretty on a well-lit windowsill.
camillashop.se
18
Dog shampoo
Pure Light Botanics
UK beauty brand Pure Light Botanics’ dog-grooming range uses natural ingredients that won’t upset your – or your pooch’s – delicate sense of smell. Ingredients include aloe vera and peppermint-leaf oil for pups with sensitive skin; disappointingly there are no bark extracts to be found.
purelightbotanics.com
19
Tray set
Meike Langer
For her ash-and-ceramic Assemblage tray set, Berlin-based furniture designer Meike Langer took inspiration from tight-fitting homes built in medieval Italy. Cast, sanded and veneered in Germany, Langer sees her set as a collaboration between her low-key taste and the clients’ needs.
meikelanger.com
20
Trainers
Piola
Piola pays Peruvian communities in the Amazon five times the average market price for rubber. The raw materials then cross to Portugal, where they’re stitched together with Italian leather according to designs created in Paris. Bright blue detailing lends a colourful kick to the Callao model.
piola.fr
21
Shoe polish
Tangent GC
Beneath the modest tubs and simple typeface is an organic concoction of carnauba wax sourced from Brazilian palms and natural turpentine oil. The minimalist look is a reflection of Tangent’s commitment to both a small ecological footprint and a polished brand identity.
tangentgc.com