True blue: Tokyo’s cult shop for indigo style

Christina Ohly Evans visits a unique Daikanyama boutique

Known as the Brooklyn of Tokyo, Daikanyama is a hipster maze of fashion boutiques, bike shops, micro-breweries and brunch spots. This low-key neighbourhood at the edge of Shibuya is a charming mishmash of concrete structures and glassy storefronts. There’s T-Site’s modernist block of a bookshop, but also traditional wooden buildings such as Kyu Asakura House – a refined relic of the Taisho era that’s now a museum. 

A linen-canvas jacket by Blue Blue Japan, Okura’s in-house brand | Image: Yasuyuki Takagi

Copying this old-world style is Okura: a boutique on a quiet Daikanyama backstreet built to resemble a traditional Japanese storehouse, and dedicated to the centuries-old craft of indigo dyeing. Behind well-weathered noren curtains, rustic wooden beams and floorboards provide the perfect setting for a pared-back range of clothing, accessories and decorative objects. “We make items to last a lifetime,” says owner Gen Tarumi, who opened the two-storey shop in 1993. “We adhere to a made-in-Japan ethos. From the dyeing techniques we use, such as bassen and itajime, to the unisex, often modern silhouettes we design, we are proudly Japanese.” 

The traditional dye is made from leaves of the Japanese indigo plant, Persicaria tinctoria, fermented in rice wine and wheat bran to create pure tints that range in hue from a saturated navy to aqua to sky-blue. While the bassen technique uses silk-screen printing, itajime is a type of shibori resist-dyeing where the fabric is folded and sandwiched between two pieces of wood to create graphic patterns with negative spaces – used to striking effect on T-shirts and cushions. 

Blue Blue Japan silk-knit neckties, about £57 | Image: Yasuyuki Takagi

Such unique garments, infused with character and rich colour, have attracted fans from as far afield as Europe and the US. Leather-goods maker Bill Amberg goes for the “amazing shirts”, while shoemaker Tim Little of Grenson is a fan of in-house brand Blue Blue Japan, which offers pure-indigo-dyed trousers (Y26,000, about £184), as well as Sashiko coveralls (about £276) and jackets (from about £213). “Our brand is based on old farm workwear called noragi, which was mended with cloth from the inside, with the stitching seen on the outside,” says Tarumi. 

Blue Blue Japan itajime T-shirt, about £135, and example of silk-chiffon scarf | Image: Yasuyuki Takagi

Haori jackets (about £404) have a similar wabi-sabi look, patchworked from pieces of denim and displayed along the stairwell, while for women dresses and kimono-esque tops graduate through myriad indigo hues. “Indigo gradually fades over time to reveal the beauty of many different shades of blue,” says Tarumi. “It can transfer to the body, but it’s easily removed with soap and water. You might not want to wash it off, however; indigo is known to have antibacterial and insect‑repellent properties.” 

Sease: Italian yachtwear with high-fashion heritage ahoy

This Milan destination store harbours stylish, high-tech sailing kit that’s perfectly suited for both the regatta circuit and the streets of Mayfair

Its name is a portmanteau of “sea” and “ease” – a neat way to sum up this Milanese boutique’s stylish own-brand sailing gear, linked to one of the most illustrious names in Italian textiles – that of Loro Piana. The famed fabric house was founded in 1924 by Pietro Loro Piana; two years ago his nephew’s grandsons, brothers Franco and Giacomo, struck out on their own to create Sease. “Our clothing is for people who spend their free time in nature,” says Franco. “They wear our designs on the water or off-piste – and return to the city and wear them on the back of a scooter.”

All the clothing at Sease is produced with sustainability in mind | Image: Valentina Sommariva

Leveraging their fashion heritage alongside an inherited love of boats (their father, Loro Piana deputy chairman Pier Luigi, hosts – and often races in – the annual Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta in Sardinia), the duo have created what Franco calls a “360-degree lifestyle brand”. It’s a combination of performance kit and exquisitely made leisurewear that appeals to serious sailors – Dario Noseda, who crossed the Atlantic solo in his 7m Starboat, and Luca Bassani, founder of Wally Yachts, are both ardent fans – as well as bankers and architects “who are demanding about quality and design detail”. They come to the refined Brera district shop for signature pieces such as the tailored High Pressure spray top (€895) and the Upwind windbreaker (€1,095), which, in rich shades of navy and brick red, are among Sease’s most functional, fashionable makes.

The fabrics are, of course, key, and hew to the traditional. “Everything is made in Italy and we use mostly natural fibres,” says Franco. “They aren’t as hardcore as techno-nylon fabrics, but sometimes our garments outperform the sports brands.” Linen shorts (€450), for instance, are reinforced with Kevlar for maximum durability, polyester is often recycled and the Sunrise fabric combines wool with bio-based nylon – “treated with an innovative hydrophilic membrane that is resistant to water and wind”, Franco explains, and used on the smart hooded George jacket (€1,350). Sustainability isn’t an afterthought at Sease, says Giacomo: “We love the outdoors – our business is built around the mountains and the sea – and we’re committed to a low-impact, environmentally sensitive supply chain.” 

Everything is showcased with aplomb in a two-storey, nautically inspired space, where the teak, carbon and canvas finishes synonymous the world over with boating abound. At every turn the Sease mantra of “elegance with functionality” is evident, from the tables of T-shirts (€130) and reversible cashmere jumpers (€750), all in a tasteful, subdued colour palette, to the racks of wool/cashmere Skipper sweatshirts (€550) and denim piqué polo shirts (€195). There are accessories, too, including sunglasses (€450) from LGR and solar-powered backpacks (€495), while a DJ booth and the odd Frescobol Carioca wooden skateboard (€980) add to the modern, masculine vibe of this shop “where you’re encouraged to hang out”.

Serious ski kit from a burgeoning Aspen brand

Aztech Mountain creates high-tech kit with off-piste style

For those preparing to hit the slopes, Aztech Mountain’s high-altitude e-shop has high-performance clothing covered – and very stylishly so. The Aspen, Colorado-based skiwear specialist was founded in 2013 by passionate skiers Anthony Rutgers and David Roth, and later joined by six-time Olympic medallist and World Cup champion Bode Miller. This is kit designed with hardcore skiers in mind but transitions easily to everyday urban life.

Aztech Mountain stretch-nylon Capitol Peak jacket, $1,300, and stretch-nylon ski pants, $725

Aztech Mountain’s jackets in particular have developed a cult-like following. The wool Multi Nuke jacket ($1,895), for example, fuses a high-tech waterproof yet breathable wool fabric (called Schoeller C-Change) with stretch nylon to provide streamlined protection, while the Hayden 3 Layer Shell jacket ($895) is a versatile and lightweight option made more with spring skiing in mind – and comes in colour combinations of black, white and Aspen green. The tech specifics are clearly detailed for each item, from information on ventilation and waterproofing to powder skirts, detachable hoods and practical pockets – along with “Bode’s Notes”, a short anecdote about what makes that piece special from both a stylistic and performance perspective. 

Aztech Mountain wool and stretch-nylon Multi Nuke jacket, $1,895

Aztech Mountain wool Lenado shirt/jacket, $795

The Aztech Mountain ski pants ($725) are “warm but lightweight, with tons of stretch and an elongated waistband that keeps me comfortable while skiing hard,” says Miller; the quilted Lenado plaid shirt/jacket ($795) is his “favourite outer layer on warm spring days while ripping groomers”. Rounding out the ruggedly chic offerings are laidback merino-wool-blend sweatpants ($350) and technical layers such as the Ashcroft sweater ($475), which combines Italian yarn with a water-repellent Teflon coating and a print inspired by the peaks of Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley. 

A long weekend in Buenos Aires with Nacho Figueras

From the “best steak in the world” to boots fit for a prince, the polo champion and Ralph Lauren ambassador shares his local secrets with Christina Ohly Evans. Portrait by Javier Pierini

Architecturally and spiritually, Buenos Aires is a very European city, so it’s often referred to as ‘the Paris of South America’. There are a lot of similarities between the two, for sure – many of the parks and streets were designed by the same people – but in the end, the feel here is distinctly Latin. I think we have a very Spanish/Italian flair, with our love of food, style and overall enthusiasm for life. I travel the world, and no matter where else I visit, I always love BA best. It’s a magical city and it seems to exceed expectations every time.

There has been a rich mix of people and cultures over the past 100 years, and you really see that in the diverse architectural styles and neighbourhoods, as well as in the art and different cuisines. One of the most beautiful periods for Buenos Aires was the belle époque era in the early 1900s, when Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries in the world. During this time some spectacular buildings, such as the Alvear Palace Hotel in Recoleta, were built, and I always recommend a stay here if you want to feel the magic of old‑world Buenos Aires. It was totally renovated recently, but the big top-floor suites still have a classical feel and some have terraces overlooking the city.

The colourful façades of the city’s La Boca district | Image: Estock/4Corners Images

The Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt is another grand hotel that’s set in a former mansion, but it has a more minimalist feel than the Alvear. The unique thing here is the rear garden; it’s a complete urban oasis, and a great place to meet for drinks on a warm evening. Then there is the Home Hotel, in Palermo – our version of Williamsburg, Brooklyn – which has a more boutique-y feel, a Nordic-meets-South America design. The very simple but beautiful pool is surrounded by jasmine and all kinds of greenery. But of all the places to stay, one of the best-kept secrets is Estancia La Bamba de Areco, which is just an hour or so outside the city. If you’re looking for horseback riding, a real asado, authentic gauchos and polo playing, this place is just incredible.

The heart of Buenos Aires is the French heritage district of Recoleta, where you’ll find the more formal hotels and shops, as well as some of the best restaurants in the city. One of the most impressive sights here is Recoleta cemetery, which dates from the 18th century and is packed with mausoleums – some beautifully maintained and others in disrepair. Recoleta is the perfect area to shop, and Arandú is a great resource for all kinds of equestrian things; you’ll find cowboy boots, saddles and traditional gaucho bags in bright colours among three floors of gear. Florería Atlántico in Retiro is another favourite. It’s an incredibly fragrant flower shop by day and a lively bar by night, and they serve their own gin that’s flavoured with Argentinian yerba mate tea.

For a slightly more fun, funkier feel I like Palermo Soho and also the tree-lined streets of Palermo Chico. The best steak in the world is at La Cabrera, where the huge slabs of ojo de bife – or ribeye steak – are served with traditional sides and a chimichurri sauce made of garlic, chilli and coriander. The room will be packed with Argentines and tourists alike, and it’s a real taste of local life. Nicky NY is the place for sushi with a lot of ambience, but what I really love is the Harrison Speakeasy bar that’s downstairs. It has a very special, festive vibe, though getting in can be tricky.

This area has culture to offer as well, including the Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires – or MALBA – where the modern and contemporary Latin American art is world class, and so is the granite building that contains the collection. The restaurant here – Ninina – is a perfect spot for a relaxing lunch outside on the patio.

Tango in San Telmo | Image: Getty Images

One of the best additions to Palermo Chico in the past few years is the concept boutique Casa Cavia. It’s set in a beautiful white mansion from the 1920s that’s been updated and now includes a restaurant, bar, flower shop and bookstore. I like to have lunch here because not only is the food excellent, the architecture is a mix of historical and contemporary features, and the scene is always lively.

If you’re looking for an haute cuisine experience, then Tegui in Palermo Viejo is the place to try star chef Germán Martitegui’s set menus, which include unique takes on Argentine classics. The chef is often there, making it feel intimate and special, and while the entrance is unassuming, it is regarded as one of the best restaurants in South America. So is Francis Mallmann’s Patagonia Sur in the colourful La Boca neighbourhood. It’s set in a brightly painted private house that only has space for a few people and offers a fixed six-course menu. I take every special guest here – Ralph Lauren, for example – and it’s a wow every time.

Congress Square in the heart of the city | Image: Getty Images/EyeEm

The more eclectic San Telmo neighbourhood is another area for exploration, and one of the best shops there is Juan Carlos Pallarols. This silversmith has an international following, and he makes things like the Pope’s chalice – Pope Francis is Argentinian – as well as silver roses and sets of steak knives. He is a true craftsman and his work is so intricate and specific to Buenos Aires. The area comes to life on Sundays, when the Feria de San Telmo antiques fair is held. It’s like our version of the Marché aux Puces, and you can find treasures ranging from early-20th-century linens to full sets of silverware to leather bags and furniture.

There are certain things associated with Buenos Aires, and tango, polo and football are all top of the list. For football fans, a Boca Juniors game is a must; the atmosphere is electric. You’ll find tango all over the city, but the performance at the Faena Hotel in Puerto Madero is among the best, as Rojo Tango gets the top dancers. Although it’s a modern hotel, this is the place to see this musical art form.

Recoleta’s Alvear Palace Hotel recently had a total renovation

Polo is a huge part of my life, but also life in Buenos Aires generally. In November, the Argentine Open is played in fields in the middle of the city and everyone turns out. Polo is played every day at the Cría Yatay polo club, on one of my estancias outside the city, where I also give lessons on occasion and where we host various club matches. This city is a great place to buy kit for the sport, and for polo boots there is none better than Casa Fagliano in Hurlingham. It’s about an hour outside the city, but worth it for the custom boots that are favoured by Prince Charles and the Sultan of Brunei. The family that runs it is amazing; three generations work in the shop, fitting and sewing the boots, and the whole experience feels like being in Geppetto’s workshop.

In the General Díaz area, where I live, there is a great shop for all things to do with tack, called Logi Polo. You’ll find everything here – from helmets to cool T-shirts to polo mallets, of course. For visitors to this area, I always recommend Fettuccine Mario for dinner. It’s a very special restaurant that gives any Italian trattoria a run for its money. This place is old-school; the knowledgeable waiters – most of whom have been there for 25 years – wear white jackets and there is nothing fussy or corporate in sight.

We’re still a little slower here than the rest of the world, and I mean this in the best sense. In general, it’s stayed the same over the years and that’s a good thing. It still feels special and historical, minus the cellphones. Honestly, an excellent cellphone service is a modern curse. I hope people will come here and put away their phones for just a little while, because there is so much beauty to see and so much to experience.

High-tech rowing kit with serious pedigree

Scull & Sweep offers all the equipment required for days spent on the water

Rowing calls for kit that’s not only windproof and waterproof, but smart too. New e-tailer Scull & Sweep has just such a cache of stylish gear, thanks to an impeccable pedigree: the site’s founders are Phil Russo, former global creative director for US shoemaker Cole Haan, and industrial designer Nancy Lin, who has Fila and Converse on her CV, while the chairman and CEO is Howard Winklevoss – founder of RowAmerica and father of rowing legends Cameron and Tyler.

Polyamide Regatta Training jacket, from $120, and cotton cap, $25

For action on the water, standouts include the Regatta Training jacket (from $120) in neon yellow or orange that’s water resistant, lightweight and designed to reduce friction, and the Half-Zip Training top ($66), with a wind collar. Cool cotton caps ($25) come emblazoned with the brand’s skull and crossed oars logo, while durable, lightweight duffel bags ($175) are great for carrying the whole kit and caboodle, from cold-morning beanies ($25) and jazzy black and neon-yellow Rowing Life Training socks ($15) to Sore No More rubber seat pads ($40) and water bottles (from $5).

For rowing-club members, Scull & Sweep offers performance-focused reworkings of the classic blazer. The men’s Regatta blazer ($275) is made of a comfortable two-way stretch fabric in rich navy-black with contrasting white lapel piping, and so works both as outerwear for inclement weather and as a smart club jacket. The slimmer-silhouetted women’s version (also $275) has a pop of colour on the folding cuffs. Both can be customised with club logos.

The polyamide Regatta blazer ($275) works as both outerwear and a smart club jacket

For Henley or Harvard alumni – or simply those with romantic notions of university regattas – Scull & Sweep offers a prime piece of escapism. Whether one’s passion is sculling – two-oared rowing – or sweeping with just one oar, or simply working out with an indoor machine, this site offers all the equipment required.

Truly beautiful bespoke wooden canoes

Trent Preszler builds traditional boats layer by layer in Long Island

“This is a meditative art,” says artisan boat maker Trent Preszler. “I love that it takes so long to make canoes. It’s like the seasons of the year; everything happens in due time.” Indeed, each exquisitely handcrafted wooden vessel ($100,000) is slowly built up in hundreds of layers of different woods – from ash, cedar and walnut to zebrawood, purpleheart and ziricote – and takes around a year to complete in Preszler’s Long Island studio: a former blacksmith’s barn built in 1820. 

Boatmaker Trent Preszler at work in his Long Island studio

But the wait does not deter Preszler’s clients, many of whom live in the nearby Hamptons, Canada or the Great Lakes, and patiently wait for the 0.5cm-thick wooden layers to be steam-bent and glued into the curved shape of the hull, before being further sanded and shaped. The canoe is then coated in fibreglass and epoxy to make it watertight, and finished with six coats of glossy marine varnish for a brilliant, streamlined sheen.

Each handcrafted canoe is built using hundreds of layers of different woods

The interior finishes are just as elegant as the exterior, with woven hemp and leather seats specially crafted by Jason Thigpen of Texas Heritage Woodworks, while solid bronze cutwaters, cast by Kristian Iglesias of Long Island’s Kai Design, add to the modern profile. So sleek and sculptural are the final results that it’s little wonder some clients have purchased them purely as works of art, but Preszler says this defeats the purpose. “I always tell people they have to paddle it, because that’s what it was intended for,” says the self-taught South Dakota native, who grew up surrounded by cattle, not kayaks, and is also the CEO of 100-acre vineyard Bedell Cellars. “It’s like owning a thoroughbred horse: you don’t want to leave it tied up in the stable all the time, you want it to run.”

Bespoke Scottish-made hardwood skis

Lonely Mountain Skis are made with adventure in mind

“Our customers are skiers looking for adventure,” says Jamie Kunka, head designer and craftsman at Scotland’s Lonely Mountain Skis (LMS). “They want something that can take on piste skiing, ski touring or even freeride ski competitions.” From a workshop in Perthshire, Kunka crafts handmade custom skis using a unique mix of traditional and modern materials and methods to provide a smooth ride – whether in powdery Patagonia or the icy gullies of Aonach Mor in the Scottish Highlands.

Jamie Kunka, of Lonely Mountain Skis, carrying Sneachda skis (from £750) at Carn an Tuirc in the Scottish Grampians | Image: Alun Callander

Each commission (from £1,100) begins with a consultation – in person or by phone and email – with Kunka, to determine desired fit, performance goals and the types of terrain to be covered, as well as graphics, finishes and veneers. Clients can take inspiration from several of the firm’s existing designs: the all-mountain Sneachda (from £750), which is perfect for use in Europe and beyond; the lightweight-yet-stable expedition Crua (from £750), which plays well in Scandinavia and the Alps; and the Ord (from £900), a powder and freestyle ski with a light balsa/flax core that’s ideal for use in North America and Japan. Kunka is happy to adapt these shapes, as well as to devise new concepts and work to varied ski lengths – which usually range between 168cm and 189cm.

Each hand-finished pair – made of an eight-layer laminate of natural and synthetic fibres with a beech, poplar or maple core – takes between three and five weeks to complete. The bases are sintered 7000 PTex (a polyethylene plastic) and the entire ski is pressed in a vacuum moulding system that ensures even flex. Flax and carbon fibres add strength and flexibility, while the top layer is a beautiful one-of-a-kind hardwood – maple or cherry. Most are capped with a discreet LMS logo, but bespoke clients can request any graphic finishes they fancy. One new embellishment this season is custom pyrography engravings of Scottish nature scenes by graffiti artist-cum-naturalist LeRoc.

Jamie Kunka making hardwood ski cores in the company’s workshop | Image: Alun Callander

These high-performance skis are also pleasingly friendly to the environment. “We use as many sustainable and natural materials as possible; 80 per cent are from grown sources,” says Kunka. “And for every ski we sell, we aim to plant two trees to offset the carbon dioxide we produce.”

Brighton-made custom creations for superior surfing

Boards to suit stance and style – or even glow in the dark

“One of my favourite creations,” says Craig Lindfield-Butler, owner of Brighton-based Supernova Surfboards, “is a 22ct-gold board that I made for the Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition 2015. It is now on display at Norman Cook’s – aka Fatboy Slim’s – seaside restaurant in Hove.”

Craig-Shaping-Surfboard

Most of Lindfield-Butler’s custom-made surfboards, however, spend more time in the water than on display. “Whether you’re a hardened professional or an enthusiastic amateur, a custom surfboard provides a faster, smoother, easier ride,” he says. And as one of the only UK makers of bespoke boards, he has garnered a loyal following of surfers from Cornwall to Santa Cruz in western California.

Every customised Supernova creation is optimised for a client’s ability level and typical surfing terrain, and is handcrafted in the Brighton shop. Lindfield-Butler offers an in-store or home consultation, but specifications can also be discussed by phone and email. After the basics of height, weight and age have been considered, boards are further developed according to the customer’s stance and flexibility preference. All of the measuring, shaping and sanding is done by Lindfield-Butler himself, who has more than 30 years of design experience, and most commissions take between four and six weeks to complete.

There’s also the more colourful part of the commission to consider – the selection of graphics, which can range from subtle resin tints to wild neon hues, from patterns and prints to insignias and logos, all of which are sealed into the board for durability. Other options include colour-changing surfboards, as well as versions that glow in the dark for late-night carving.

“Surfing is all about feeling confident on your board and riding the waves in your own style,” says Lindfield-Butler – and his one-of-a-kind creations take diving and dropping to a whole new level.

Rebecca Vizard: upscale upcycling

Ornate antique textiles reinvented as chic cushions

“I love taking something intricate and frilly and paring it down to make it sleek and contemporary,” says textile designer Rebecca Vizard of the exquisite pillows she creates using antique fabric fragments – from Aubusson tapestries and Fortuny damasks to Flemish ecclesiastical vestments and Ottoman gold embroideries.

It’s a passion that began with a visit to the Porte de Vanves flea market in Paris, where she was introduced to dazzling fabric remnants from Holland, Belgium and Italy. “I’m in awe of Renaissance textiles. I salvage pieces, restore them using threads with the right patina, and then rearrange them into different compositions and patterns,” she explains.

From her studio in northern Louisiana, Vizard – along with her team of seamstresses – makes bespoke pieces that grace chic apartments in Manhattan and London, as well as royal residences in Abu Dhabi. Her commissions for private clients and high-profile decorators such as Bunny Williams take many forms, including bolsters in shades of French blue, rose and ochre, all embellished with vintage thread.

It is her pillows, however, that are most sought-after – in particular her elongated designs (examples in first picture, from $2,000, and second picture, $1,825), often 1m or more in length, that accent couches and beds. Simpler decorative squares (example in third picture,$2,175) in muted velvets and rich, nubby linens are handcrafted using long, narrow strips from Italian vestments. Some cushions (from $3,600) even feature extremely rare, fragile fabrics such as a 17th-century Italian fragment depicting an Ionic column – beautifully framed for posterity.

Striking straw marquetry: Christophe Pourny

Cultivating a big voilà! moment upon walking into a room

“Straw marquetry is so unique, so precise, that no two pieces will ever be the same,” says French-born, Brooklyn-based furniture designer and restorer Christophe Pourny, “which makes it an attractive prospect for the person who wants a truly bespoke finish, texture, and surface.”

Inspired by the midcentury work of French interior designer Jean-Michel Frank, Pourny’s talent for lacquer work, inlay and traditional straw marquetry – working in handcut rye straw sourced from Burgundy and Brittany – is realised both through close collaborations with interior designers such as David Kleinberg, Jamie Drake and Thierry Morali, as well as by working on commissioned pieces for private clients ­– from cigar boxes ($1,000) to entire rooms (from $100,000).

The process typically takes two to three months, depending on the size and scope of work. Popular requests are for accent tables and consoles ($15,000), entertainment centres ($25,000) and night stands ($5,000) with exquisite, iridescent patterns in chevrons, fans, circles, sunbursts and, in the case of bespoke boxes, monograms or crests – in hues that range from the palest gold to rich, dark brown. Larger projects have included a foyer in Bratislava, a powder room ($20,000) in New York, and elevator doors and wall panelling for one London client “who wanted that big voilà! moment upon entry”, says Pourny.

He has also seen an uptick in requests from yacht owners who appreciate the “enduring finish that requires no maintenance. Straw is coated in silica that makes it naturally water resistant so no varnish or oil is required.”

For Pourny, the joy comes from “transforming what might be an ordinary piece of furniture into a stunner using an unexpected finish”. Indeed, the unexpected is what drives him to imaginative new heights: “My passion for such historical methods has taught me how to take creative licence when a piece merits it.”

Connor NYC

Superlative hand-engraved stationery

I recently stumbled upon a sleek, elegant stationery brand whose classic yet contemporary designs I have completely fallen for. All Connor NYC’s offerings – including its correspondence paper, cards, place cards and even drinks coasters – are produced at its atelier in France, using custom dies, intricate hand-engraved designs and the world’s finest paper, and then hand-stamped in the US. The results take note writing to a whole other, very opulent level.

I was immediately struck by the exquisitely simple Jupiter cards ($85 for a set of 12) – uniquely oversized in creamy paper and hand-stamped with a raised, tactile copper planet motif. The Celestial cards ($95 for 12) were equally arresting, decorated with a bold gold and green sun/moon icon (which also features on a calendar, $135, complete with a tiny brass easel). Both sets of cards come with tissue-lined envelopes – the former in bright orange, the latter in a delicate nude – and are packaged in Connor’s signature dove-grey boxes and tied with understated grosgrain ribbons. I quickly settled on a box of each; they would make perfect Christmas presents as well as festive missives.

Other lust-worthy designs include Medallion ($85 for 12, pictured) – pearl-coloured cards with copper embellishment, and either contrasting turquoise or complementary green and gold tissue-lined envelopes – and the limited-edition Hand of Fatima cards ($125 for 12). This collaboration with textile designer Madeline Weinrib features a gold icon and hand edging, juxtaposed with a cerise envelope lining. And if you don’t see a design to your liking, Connor also creates bespoke orders.

Modern General store

A Santa Fe emporium of the sensible yet chic

Contemporary takes on the old-school general store are something of a growing trend. One such is Modern General in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which sells assorted tools, kitchen gadgets and other practical odds and ends, all with a sleek farmhouse aesthetic, and also serves the most delicious breakfast in town.

Like any good general store, Modern General stocks the basics: fruit and vegetables from proprietress Erin Wade’s farm in nearby Nambé, New Mexico, barrels of organic and heirloom wheat, gluten-free flours and eco-friendly cleaning supplies. But the airy space is also full of treasures – tasteful, locally sourced ones as well as the finest kitchen accessories from France, Italy and Scandinavia. Los Poblanos soap ($12) – artisanal bars from a farm in Albuquerque – and silverware from France by Guy Degrenne ($35 per setting) were among my favourites. A utilitarian paring knife by Nogent ($16), rolls of Nutscene twine ($9) and a leather-handled Sportman’s axe by Estwing ($51) were all new to me. I left with a couple of jars of local honey ($16), a sculptural cutting board hewn from ancient Tuscan olive trees ($70) and a small hand-hammered copper frying pan ($210) that was crafted in Mexico by the Amoretti Brothers. All the items have been chosen to “spark joy in the user”, says Wade.

This is Wade’s second Santa Fe venture; she is also chef/owner of my favourite lunch spot in the city, the vibrant, design-led Vinaigrette, which serves a chopped salad like no other. Happily, she’s brought some of her signature dishes to MG (as locals call it), such as the Czech kolache pastries and nutrient-packed green juices. The avocado on toast is perfectly delivered and the purple barley porridge can be washed down with single-origin coffee, but perhaps best of all is the atmosphere: convivial and bursting with local colour.

Albertine

Rare first editions and a Renaissance night sky single out this opulent New York bookshop dedicated to French literature

Tucked inside the historic Payne Whitney mansion near Manhattan’s Museum Mile is an exquisite jewel box devoted to classic and contemporary books – some 14,000 of them – with a tie to French literature. Albertine, named after Proust’s object of affection in Remembrance of Things Past, has gained a loyal following, and cultured New Yorkers flock to this Upper East Side gem for its expansive inventory. “We have a mix of fiction and non-fiction as well as some very rare first editions,” says founder Antonin Baudry (right in first picture). “We choose titles that work for a New York audience but are emblematic of France and French culture.”

Conceived as a grand private library, Albertine is set within a Stanford White‑designed landmark, its Italian Renaissance interior reimagined by master of opulence Jacques Garcia. Sofas in deep green velvet and decorative objets sourced from Paris’s renowned Les Puces are interspersed with busts of great figures of French-American culture – Descartes, Benjamin Franklin and Voltaire – that have been crafted by the workshops of the Musée du Louvre.

Image: Weston Wells

The star of the show – quite literally – is the magnificent ceiling mural on the second floor, a Renaissance sky of handpainted constellations and planets in brilliant blue and gold, inspired by the bedroom of Lorenzo de’ Medici and the Villa Stuck in Munich. “This is a Gilded Age mansion with a destination bookshop,” says Baudry. The building has housed the cultural services of the French Embassy since 1952, and Albertine launched with the support of LVMH, Van Cleef & Arpels and many others last year.

On the floor-to-ceiling shelves, filled by shop director François-Xavier Schmit (left in first picture), visitors will find philosophy classics by Foucault and de Montaigne and crime fiction by John le Carré; foodie books from Julia Child’s classics to Note-by-Note Cooking ($25) by molecular gastronomist Hervé This; and children’s favourites including Tintin, Asterix, Babar and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince ($13).

There are also coffee-table tomes on art (Picasso et les écrivains by Serge Linarès, $254, second picture, and L’histoire de Parispar la peinture by Georges Duby, $485) and fashion (Dior Couture by photographer Patrick Demarchelier, $125, and No 5 Culture Chanel, $175), celebrating the heritage of storied maisons.

A beautifully illustrated, seven-volume set of the Ramayana ($1,283) by French publisher Diane de Selliers is exclusive to Albertine in the US, while rare first editions such as Simone de Beauvoir’s Les Mandarins ($2,000) and Gustave Flaubert’s 1862 Salammbô ($1,400) are displayed in elegant glass vitrines commissioned for Albertine’s quiet reading niche. A well‑subscribed monthly book club enthusiastically led by Monsieur Baudry and a dynamic speaker series complete Albertine’s wide-ranging, thought-provoking offerings.

“I want this to be a place where people discover life-changing books,” says Baudry. “We hope to expose them to new ideas. We also encourage people to linger – Albertine is more like a reading room with a till than a commercial bookshop.” For a bit of France on Fifth Avenue, look no further.

For another beguiling bookshop, see the flagship Maison Assouline in London’s Piccadilly, complete with a bespoke library service and fashionable swan bar, or for more rare finds for the discerning bibliophile, see Los Angeles’ Arcana Booksfor a chic destination shop stocked with design and fashion tomes and out-of-print titles.

Joe Hogan: Bespoke basketweaving

Traditional skills reinterpreted with contemporary verve

“I was drawn to basket-making because it allowed my wife and I to live in the Irish countryside,” laughs artisan weaver Joe Hogan, by way of explanation for his move to Loch na Fooey, in County Galway, 35 years ago. This verdant area is where his willow plantation grows today and where he creates traditional Irish baskets and bespoke sculptural reinterpretationsusing lichen, dry bark, tree roots and bog pine.

For those seeking something sublimely classic, bowls (from €230-€1,000) and baskets (from €300) interlace willows of various widths and shades into traditional curvilinear forms. “I use several types of willow but mainly Salix pupurea, which tends to be long and slender and resistant to disease,” says Hogan. Vivid reds come courtesy of Salix alba chermesina, and blue or purple hues from Salix daphnoides. They]re not only colourful, their strength and lightness is such that during the second world war these were the rods that were used to craft the British military’s airborne panniers.

Many of Hogan’s artistic organic takes on baskets often incorporate ancient tree roots foraged from nearby bogland (such as Ebb and Flow, €4,500, third picture), which create sensual shapes. Once the size, purpose and tone have been locked down for a commission, Hogan sketches designs and sources the materials. Some have peat-stained or bleached driftwood “collars”, while smaller bog wood pouches (from €900-€2,400) and bowls (such as one made of lichen, second picture) evoke the wildness of nature in their untamed beauty. Ethereal vessels (such as Up For Air, price on request, first picture) resemble large nests – their entwined birch, myrtle and lichen-encrusted twigs add texture and depth.

Hogan also delights in weaving site-specific pod-like, swirling installations in green catkin, cone-studded larch twigs and rhododendron – many of which are displayed in groups by enthusiastic collectors and added to over time. Pieces range in size from just 10cm in diameter to 1m or more in length and take anywhere from two weeks to several months to complete, depending on the complexity of the work and the materials involved.

These creations are not only a glorious celebration of nature and one-of-a-kind sculptural delights, but they’re also a wonderful way of preserving the vanishing craft of Irish basket making.

CW Pencil Enterprise

Scented Viarcos, rare wood silver tips and an early Eberhard Faber draw creatives to this New York paean to the pencil

“It started with my first Caran d’Ache set when I was about six,” says the “amateur pencil collector” Caroline Weaver (first picture), who has turned her obsession into a niche New York store.

A fine art graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins and Goldsmiths colleges, Ohio-native Weaver discovered a whole new world of pencils while travelling in Europe. “I wanted to create a place where people could try pencils produced in old family-run factories,” she says, “and learn the difference between a Japanese brass bullet pencil and a Czech Triograph.”

Image: Dorothy Hong

CW Pencil Enterprise began life online in November 2014, before opening in the bustling Lower East Side shortly after. The small space stocks over 250 pencil varieties, all neatly displayed in glass jars and labelled by country of origin. From Japan, for example, there is the thick, triangular Kita-boshi ($1) and the dark-graphite Mitsu-bishi Hi-Uni ($2.50), “the holy grail of Japanese pencils that writes like a dream”.

“My goal was to create a meticulously organised space that didn’t feel too precious,” she says. “I want people to feel free to scribble and experiment.” As a result, the midcentury-inspired store – with its black-and-white chequerboard floor and vintage advertising posters – features a writing desk for sampling the everyday HB models or vintage finds, such as “the earliest version of the legendary Eberhard Faber Mongol [$30] we’ve ever found”. Each item is enriched by Weaver’s palpable passion; she delights in expounding on a pencil’s provenance and graphite qualities, as well as its optimal use – from sketching to novel writing to crossword puzzling.

Among the store’s more unusual offerings are the Portuguese Viarco pencils ($10) scented with indigenous floral notes – lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, peony and fig leaf. Rare wood Caran d’Ache pencils with silver tips in an exquisite walnut box ($275) are displayed next to volumes ($60) of Tombow coloured pencils, which are organised by rainforest, woodland and seascape hues. Design-led accoutrements are artfully arranged on stark white tables. “All of the accessories here are better versions of everyday things,” explains Weaver of an inventory that includes stunning-yet-spare Japanese legal pads ($12) by Craft Design Technology and brass pencil cases ($67) by Midori. In fact, Weaver is almost as serious about sharpeners – “never electric; I prefer small, sculptural ones” – as she is about pencils. A weighty gold-plated and chrome sharpener ($500, second picture) by Spanish maker El Casco uses “intricate internal mechanisms, not unlike a fine watch”.

So who pops in for a pencil or two? “Local architects, writers and calligraphers,” says Weaver, but the shop is also attracting a broader global clientele. “In general, analogue tools are making a comeback. Our customers are returning to the simplicity of the pencil because it is both practical and sentimental.” And occasionally personal: a Kingsley hot foil stamp machine from the 1960s is used to personalise products, including the recent commission of a marriage proposal written in gold lettering on a bright red pencil. At CW Pencil Enterprise, the pencil itself is an art form.

Laboratorio Paravicini: custom ceramics

This Milan atelier is inspired by the old, glorious ceramic and porcelain houses of Europe

“Our aim is to create beautiful plates and ceramic pieces that bring back the warmth often lost through the industrial production of porcelain,” says Laboratorio Paravicini co-founder Costanza Paravicini. Together with her partner Benedetta Medici, the duo produce custom pieces “inspired by the old, glorious ceramic and porcelain houses of Europe, including Capodimonte, Royal Copenhagen, Meissen and Herend”, says Medici, “as well as by the worlds of contemporary art and fashion.” Their one-of-a-kind serveware can incorporate particular patterns or colours, family crests, monograms or bucolic scenes.

What started as a hobby for the two friends 20 years ago has become a thriving Milan-based business that now counts noted decorators, assorted royals and varied private clients among its global clientele. Many are inspired by a visit to the studio, where the duo’s existing collections often provide a starting point for a bespoke design. Signature series include Calligraphario(first picture), Snakes, Circus, Balloons(second picture) and Auto d’Epoca – the latter depicting vintage cars. Others seek out the atelier to fulfil a very specific commission.

So that colours don’t fade, the duo hand-paint or hand-apply serigraphs under glaze. This labour-intensive application process is rare today, but the pair are committed to producing pieces of the highest lustre that are also dishwasher safe and suitable for regular use. In some instances intricate decoration is realised by pressing a dry stamp onto the pieces when they are still soft, with subsequent glazing used to create unusual chiaroscuro effects. In addition to tableware, many of Laboratorio Paravicini’s celadon and gold-trimmed creations (various colour combinations and metallic finishes can be specially mixed) are designed to be displayed in wall mounts as decorative sets.

From coats of arms on plates (from €60) to specialised chinoiserie (€80-€150 per plate) to ashtrays (from €120) featuring the family dog, no request is too outlandish – or too small. Vases embellished with villas and fantastical insects (€180-€300) are a particularly popular request, as are those featuring birds and hunting scenes. Every commission includes a final sample before the larger order goes into production.

Laboratorio Paravicini “takes delight in creating very particular, very personal things,” says Paravicini. “The moment we succeed in designing something that is exactly what our client wants, that’s the greatest achievement.”

Santas Negras

Rare vintage lamps, llama-wool throws and chandelier earrings make this boutique a style beacon on Uruguay’s south coast

The fishing village of José Ignacio on Uruguay’s southern coast has long been a summer escape for stylish South Americans, but it has attracted an international crowd of late – including Ralph Lauren, gallerist Martin Summers and Norwegian entrepreneur Alex Vik. And nowhere is its mix of sun, surf and beach chic more apparent than at Santas Negras, a lifestyle boutique on the outskirts of town.

Opened in 2012 by artist-interior designers Patricia Torres and Paula Martini (first picture), Santas Negras is a showcase for an energetically eclectic variety of clothing, restored (and sometimes reimagined) mid-century furniture and stylish curios. It is on two levels, with the light-filled top floor curved to “flow organically and promote a circular way of navigating the shop”, says Torres. “We needed a large space to display sets of tables and chairs and enormous light fixtures – and we didn’t want it to feel like a crowded medina,” says Martini.

Hand-woven alpaca- and llama-wool throws ($160-$450) in vibrant fuchsia, orange and azure-blue (dyed by Martini) add colourful punctuation. Meanwhile, raffia‑framed antique fabrics (from $300), locally made sarongs, beach bags and hats (from $25, second picture), quirky collections of antique glass (from $120) and handcrafted pod-like wicker swings ($350) nurture an artisanal ambience.

Italian glass lamp, $1,500 | Image: Eugenio Mazzinghi

Over 75 per cent of Santas Negras’s offerings are of Uruguayan origin. “I feel uneasy importing things and ignoring what can be made locally,” says Martini. Only La Huella cookbooks ($54) and Vietnamese rugs ($1,200) are brought in from afar – they’re perfect design accents for this sandy setting.

The store’s cherry-picked jewellery and fashion draw creative types. Particularly alluring are the own‑brand delicate hand-knitted sweaters in featherweight wool (from $150) and buttery leather jackets ($550‑$800). A collection of playful “bijouterie not joaillerie” includes bold, beaded necklaces by Argentine artist Victoria Magrane ($70-$150) and chandelier earrings (from $50) – great for the day-to-night chic needed for asados (barbecues) in the high season.

But it’s the rare vintage “miracle finds” that intrigue most – from a striking pair of yellow, mirrored glass lamps ($2,000) discovered in a barn, to tables and chairs by Marcel Breuer, Charles and Ray Eames and Poul Kjærholm (from $800).

The duo’s bespoke offerings – such as upholstered beds and cabinetry made of indigenous pine and eucalyptus (from $400) – attract an ever-wider clientele. “Our customer is a world traveller searching for unique pieces,” explains Martini. “I hope we show them that beautiful things can be made using very few resources.”

Puiforcat: 100 Years of Silversmithery

Classics and new collaborations from France’s venerable marque

Venerable French silversmithing workshop Puiforcat is to be the subject of a glorious centenary retrospective in New York, as Atelier Courbet – in conjunction with Hermès – presents Puiforcat: 100 Years of Silversmithery, on view from Wednesday November 12 to Monday January 5. The first selling show of its kind, the exhibition highlights an array of the marque’s iconic art-deco classics, as well as newer signature collections created with leading contemporary artists.

Classic pieces such as the Cambo teapot ($43,000, first picture) from 1928 and Sphere tea and coffee set ($131,000) from that same year are two excellent examples of Jean Puiforcat’s skill at combining sterling silver with precious woods, glass and stone. An orange juice pitcher ($71,000, second picture) from 1930 was inspired by the bow of a ship and features an invisible “lost hinge” system that maintains the sleek lines of the piece. A filleted sterling-silver cocktail shaker ($27,000, third picture) – complete with single shot glasses with either smooth or threaded surfaces – and a desk lamp ($42,000) from 1925 in silver and onyx are pure art-deco brilliance. Fashioned by hand and polished to a mirrored shine, each of the 2kg lamps now incorporates state-of-the art LED technology, with an onyx light diffuser and a discreet dimmer switch.

On the home accessories front, the Constellation clock ($46,400) from 1932 features a circle of 12 white marble cylinders embossed with hour digits that arc around a central stud. Updates have been made to the iconic timepiece, including a 21-day mechanical movement. Gamesmanship, meanwhile, is taken to another level in a streamlined backgammon set ($35,000, fourth picture) made of sterling silver, Macassar ebony and sycamore – inspired by Jean Puiforcat’s original art-deco chess set.

The exhibition will also see the unveiling of Fluidité, a modern line of exquisite tea and coffee pieces created in collaboration with esteemed design artist Aldo Bakker. The artist’s latest sculptural interpretation of the classic tea and coffee service features eight items: a teapot and tea cup, a coffeepot and coffee cup, spoon, sugar bowl, creamer and display tray (from $95,000). This limited-edition series – just 20 of each piece have been made – is handcrafted from sterling silver, ebony and porcelain and employs both sharp geometry and soft curvilinear forms.

Puiforcat’s aesthetic continues into the 21st century and nowhere is it more exquisitely in evidence than here.

Comma Workshop: message in a blanket

Stylish, custom, hand-stitched heirloom quilts with personalised missives

Quilts have long told stories, through words, patterns and pictures, and one artist keeping this narrative tradition alive is Kerry Larkin, who embroiders quilts with subtle lettering. Her chic creations are designed as heirloom pieces, and can be stitched with the text from wedding vows, for example, or a baby’s birthdate, as well as poetry, quotes and other written messages.

The process begins with a consultation with Larkin by phone or email, followed by three layout options. Clients will likely take inspiration from her past works, including the Counterpoint Collection (from $1,025), a collaboration with Paris-based writer Jody Jenkins that features simple, uplifting poetry, or the more intricate Reach Across quilt that comes with three layers of overlapping text (available in queen, $2,350, and king, $2,725).

All feature the artist’s signature freehand cursive, though clients can also choose from two additional font styles – Times New Roman or Tahoma  – while a range of colours can be selected, from charcoal to brilliant blue. Quilts can also be personalised by thread, trim and colour, in three standard sizes: smaller throws (60in x 65in), queen (86in x 93in) and king (104in x 104in). Requests for other sizes can also be accommodated.

All quilts (custom versions from $1,075) are made from 100 per cent cotton, and take four to six months to complete. Larkin, who comes from a family of quilt-makers, seamstresses and upholsters, learnt her craft from her great grandmother in the Pennsylvania Dutch country, before going on to study architecture. “I wanted to merge that design sense with something functional,” she says. “Quilts were the natural next step. Patches and patterns have been used for centuries in quilts, and I hope that my words will create something beautiful as well.”

Oyyo: cotton dhurries with contemporary cool

An online cache of handwoven Indian rugs with serious Scandi panache

Simple yet bold prints and patterns are the hallmark of Oyyo, a Stockholm-based design studio that produces beautiful cotton dhurries for its eponymous e-shop. And while the carpets are handcrafted in India using centuries-old techniques and locally sourced vegetable dyes, each has a thoroughly modern sensibility that is expressed through contemporary hues and minimalist designs.

Founded in 2011 by Lina Zedig and Marcus Ahrén, Oyyo’s graphic rugs are handwoven near Jodhpur, and as such, are subject to slight variations in size (be prepared for 2cm to 5cm differences from the dimensions ordered) and colour (due to the plant dyes that can fade over time). In short, each dhurrie is a work of art – so slight imperfections are to be expected and even celebrated.

The website features a tightly edited selection of rugs with ethereal names such as Never Ending Story, Labyrinth and Noto, which have been photographed in dramatic desert settings, and are also shown in close up so that the interested buyer can examine details – knots, edging, construction, finishes – that are particular to each style.

Brick (available in four sizes; €520-€1,890, first picture) recalls traditional Indian textiles, but is infused with a Scandinavian sensibility. A soft colour palette – dusty pink, light tangerine and muted cream tones – make this rug a neutral piece, while the boldly graphic Noto (second picture) features vibrant-azure and sapphire-blue tones. This style is perhaps the most eye-catching on the site and is available in five standard sizes ranging from 80cm x 140cm (€520) to 200cm x 300 cm (€2,790), but it can also be custom ordered in other dimensions.

Oyyo’s flat-weave designs are both chic and entirely practical, and each is meant for everyday use, which means they are washable, too.