I have many wonderful memories from 2011, but one that I will most certainly not forget was my collaboration with the legendary house of Fortuny. In the spring I spent an enchanting and exhilarating ten days in Venice, sorting through reams of the most gorgeous fabrics I’ve ever seen, and meeting some of the most talented artists I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. To be given access to the Fortuny archives and library was a dream come true. The resulting collection, L’Objet pour Fortuny, is a unique and colorful blend of time-honored artistry and modern craftsmanship. I can only hope my genuine passion for this project shines through in every piece.

TEXTURES AND COLORS OF VENICE

      

OUR FABRIC AND PALLET SELECTION.

 

 

 

WORKING IN THE ARCHIVE ROOM WITH MICKEY.  

VENICE BY DAY

 

VENICE BY NIGHT

IRON WORK INSPIRATION

THE FORTUNY FACTORY AND PRIVATE GARDEN

MICKEY RIAD  - CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND OWNER  - FORTUNY 

FORTUNY'S ORIGINAL PIGMENT BOX.

THE COLLECTION

In my last post I mentioned how much I love our frames – and what great holiday gifts they make. Today I’d like to highlight a serving and décor collection that adds a whimsical, exotic touch to any holiday table – or any table for that matter. From lovely, organic, almost trumpet-like candlesticks to shimmering stainless steel trays, bowls, vases, and platters ringed with gold bamboo, each piece in the Evoca collection is truly an original work of art. Most of my clients have no idea how complicated the welding is on these pieces.

 

 

The gracefully intertwined stems are a modern take on the timeless design element of bamboo, and joining it with stainless steel is not only a uniquely beautiful juxtaposition, but a remarkable feat of craftsmanship. If you haven’t already, have a look at these in person – the images don’t do them justice! 

 

 

 

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The holidays are upon us, and I for one am looking forward to a little time off to celebrate with family and friends. I was actually discussing my holiday plans over coffee last week, and a friend asked me an interesting question – which L’objet items do I personally love to give as gifts? Well, of course, I love all our pieces… but I’ve found one collection to be universally appreciated – our frames.

 

 

We have such a variety, so its easy to address the different tastes of the many people I call family. And I designed all our frames as heirloom pieces – each is plated in platinum and finished and polished by hand, much like fine jewelry (so you never have to polish them). And people love the details – from the beveled glass to the stretched Italian leather on the back – as well as the interior of stretched satin, which prolongs photo life more effectively than paper. All that, and they are presented in a suede pouch in a gift box with push-button opener, like an old world jewelry box. Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to surround those treasured holiday photos of loved ones.

 

 

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As I’ve mentioned before, I find inspiration in a variety of places – and sometimes, apparently, I even inspire myself! I recently decided to expand upon one of L’OBJET’s most popular items, the Crocodile Candle, from our Luminescence Collection.

 

So many people commented on the beauty of the sculpted Limoges porcelain that I decided to take the sophisticated look and feel of the Crocodile and translate it into a line of its own. Introducing the “Art of The Desk” Collection.

 

Even in an age when the desktop has gone digital, I think there is something very special about having a beautiful, hand-crafted desk set. Featuring the same sculpted porcelain and black matte ink that made the candle so popular, each of the desk items will also be wonderfully textured, and accented with 24K gold. I think the result is timeless and elegant, and, as is so often the case with universally appealing design, totally gender neutral. 

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Today I’m happy to give you an interesting preview of my new collection, PERLÉE – premiering in 2011. I say new, but in fact, I’ve been working on it for over two years now! The pattern occurred to me while looking through ancient biblical illustrations that featured amazing old-world garment ornamentations, including mother of pearl embroideries. Of course the design concept is nothing more than that – a concept. It was only in the fabrication that the real magic happened.

 

The first step involves very complicated, highly detailed model making, from which we create the Limoges porcelain cast. 

 

 

 

At that point, each item is then painstakingly gilded - by hand - with 24kt gold or platinum. This remarkable process, shown in the video clip below, is truly an art. And it takes time – ranging from two hours to paint a single dessert plate… to seven hours for our large vertical bowl!

Once the gold is applied around the porcelain pearls, the pieces are fired, whereupon each item is expertly hand-buffed and polished with agate powder to enhance the rich, warm glow of the gold.

 

 

 

The result, I hope you’ll agree, is magnificent!

 

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