Most people agree that the best dinner parties are those that bring together the most unique blend of attendees… an array of personalities that might seem very different considered individually. Some are bold and colorful, some elegant and refined, but when brought together for a special occasion, they create an amazing and unexpected vitality.

 

I think the same can be said about the dinner settings!

 

Earlier this month we put together a fun little video to showcase the many ways in which L’OBJET collections can be combined to create wonderfully unique presentations. Like a great party, it has a distinctive energy, a lot of color, and a few spills along the way. Please have a look. You might just find some inspiration to spice up your next get-together.

 

There are few places on Earth as inspiring as Paris. From the architecture and art collections to the bridges and brioche, it is a city of endless wonders. It was during a visit to the city of lights just last year that I found inspiration for our latest collection, Carrousel.

 

Tucked away from the grand shopping streets and general bustle of the city, Paris’ city parks are one of my favorite destinations. I love strolling amid gorgeous gardens and fountains, or picnicking in the shade of a perfectly shaped Linden tree. But on this trip I discovered something new – or at least new to me - the extraordinarily beautiful antique carrousels. I was mesmerized. The beautifully carved and hand painted figures, the braided polls, the glittering lights… and of course the pure joy in a child’s face who is lost in the swirling magic of it all.

 

I decided that I wanted to capture it all – the beauty, the fun, the romance – yet in a very modern way. I choose to work with high grade stainless steel. Stainless steel has an incomparable luster and fantastic durability, but it can often seem cold. My challenge was to bring life to it, to make it feel as soft and fluid as a Parisian carrousel. It took much trail and error, but the hand-crafted results are as beautiful as I hoped. Please let me know if you agree!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hard to believe, but it’s that time of year again already. And while I’m busy making gift lists of my own, I’d love to share with you some of top L’OBJET gift picks this year.

As always, a holiday gift is more than just an objet. At its best, it’s a heartfelt and lasting expression, one that mirrors both your taste, and that of the recipient. It could be a practical gift, such as a beautiful, hand-crafted frame that elevates a mere photo into a work of art. It might be a lovely box in which to hold their tiniest treasures, or a beautifully crafted letter opener for their office . Or perhaps a serving bowl or set of glittering napkin rings a hostess could use on special occasions, always reminding her of you.  When in doubt, I’ve found that almost everyone appreciates a subtly fragranced candle ensconced in fine Limoges porcelain.

Whatever you choose, as long it comes from the heart, it is sure to bring a smile and warm remembrances all year long. It really is better to give than receive, isn’t it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This month I’d like to give you a little peak behind the scenes from a recent L’Objet photo shoot we did. Every time we do a shoot like this, working closely with our photographer to determine the angles and lighting to best capture the beauty of a collection, I’m reminded of the many amazing talented artisans and craftsmen who work tirelessly to create the incredible details and finishes that are our hallmark. 

 

 

 

 

 

“Old world technique. Modern sensibility” isn’t just our slogan – it’s the way we approach the design and creation of every L’Objet collection. To realize this vision I travel around the world to find the people who live and breathe their craft, who often hail from generations of artisans.  

 

 

 

 

Working with these incredible craftsmen is what I love most about my job. It is truly awesome to watch a true master at work, innately employing subtle techniques handed down from parents and grandparents. It often feels like traveling through time, and learning how these techniques were born and refined through the ages is endlessly fascinating to me.

 

 

Yet we are not simply recreating what has been done before. With every collection I strive to bring a modern eye to the process, challenging the artisans to work with me to create some new, exciting, and unexpected. As always, it’s about the details.

 

 

Take the Florentine etching technique on our new Sterling Silver Atelier frames, for example. The painstaking technique of etching on silver with small needles is ancient, yet working on a more modern surface and playing with proportions is all it took to give it a point of view that is definitely modern, yet still timeless in its appeal.

 

I hope you enjoy this little glimpse of the care we take in showcasing the beautiful work of these extraordinary craftsmen. Enjoy.

 

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Last year I was fortunate enough to sail from Turkey to Greece with a group of dear friends. We called it our own “Blue Voyage”, a time-honored journey across the Aegean originated by the Turkish painter and author Cevat Şakir Kabaağaç, who explored the same waters in the early 1900’s.

 

 

 

The journey on a Turkish gulet (those lovely, double-mast wooden schooners) was an experience I will never forget. The images are indelible: azure waters juxtaposed against the pastoral Mediterranean coastline… The warm nights, with stars scattered across the sky like diamonds on indigo velvet… Gentle, hazy mornings, waking to the sound of the waves… And, of course, the fresh, vibrant Mediterranean food!

 

 

 

 

 

The trip took place a few weeks before introducing the Perlee collection, and was the inspiration for the vibrant Mediterranean tone of blue used to create Perlee Blue for Spring 2012. To achieve the color we used cobalt pigments, slightly infused with water. The blue is then hand painted around the “pearls”, making each piece unique.

 

 

I love that the color reminds one of both sky and water… while also playing on the image of the Greek Island’s famous blue domes, yet reversed, to become the white “pearls” that rim the pieces. The result is a celebration of that special voyage – I hope you find it equally evocative. 

 

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