A thoughtful selection of the latest lifestyle and design news, plus the creatives who are championing regenerative fashion
1. Manolito stool by Marc Morro for HAY
Spanish designer Marc Morro has introduced the Manolito stool in his second collaboration with Danish design label HAY, offering a playful, functional piece for modern homes. Designed as a stool, side table or step, the Manolito reflects Morro’s long-time fascination with wooden stools.
Crafted from solid FSC-certified pine with an oil wax finish, the piece is constructed from just a few carefully adjoined components. Drawing inspiration from the simple stools used by construction workers, the Manolito is both compact and practical.
Available in Black, Red and Natural Pine, it comes in short or long versions, making it suitable for children and adults alike. ‘I think almost all of my friends and relatives have a Manolito or two at home,’ says Morro. ‘My mother probably has around 10. For it now to become part of HAY’s collection is a great honour, and truly the best place I could have imagined for it.’
Photography by Valerio Geraci
2. MAAP by Flos
Designed by Erwan Bouroullec for Italian lighting pioneer Flos, MAAP is a wall-mounted lamp that boasts an unexpectedly light construction. Formed from an ultralight Tyvek envelope, a paper-like material that is durable and tear-resistant, it is stretched across a discreet steel structure.
What makes MAAP unique is that its final form is created by hand. During installation, the Tyvek surface is crumpled, producing organic folds that give the lamp its character, making each piece unique as it is shaped by the user.
Meanwhile, magnetic ‘dots’ attach the Tyvek casting to the metal skeleton, gently holding it in place while allowing for continual reshaping. Available in three sizes, MAAP can extend up to 3.2 metres across a wall. Light is diffused evenly across its surface, creating a soft, atmospheric glow that feels closer to daylight than to a conventional lamp.
Photography by Alex Bramall
3. Neotenic Collection by Buchanan Studio
Glass takes centre stage in Neotenic, a playful new lighting collection by British brand Original BTC and London-based Buchanan Studio. Handcrafted in Oxfordshire, the swirly glass shades are mouth blown in-house by Original BTC using opal glass, creating a unique marbled surface to each piece.
The contemporary five-piece collection – comprising table, floor, wall, ceiling and pendant lights – blends Buchanan Studio’s signature romanticism with Original BTC’s more utilitarian approach to design and craftsmanship.
Available in a soft, Neapolitan-inspired palette, the collection comes in shades of Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla. With its rounded and playful proportions, each piece is finished with brass caps bearing both studio’s logos, marking the collaboration and positioning Neotenic as a modern classic in the making.
Photography courtesy of Salvatori
4. Ellipse by John Pawson for Salvatori
Salvatori sharpens its material exploration with the evolution of John Pawson’s Ellipse collection. Originally conceived in 2019, the series of rigorously pared-back domestic objects now appears in sandblasted Verde Antico marble. While the result is a cooler and darker in mood, the pieces are faithful to Pawson’s signature minimalist philosophy.
Carved from single blocks of marble, each piece – ranging from trays and containers to a wine cooler, candle holder and pestle and mortar, feature soft curves and a sandblasted finish that lifts the surface. The Verde Antico’s veining nods to the green marbles favoured by Mies van der Rohe in the 1950s, lending the collection a modernist touch.
Introduced by Salvatori in 2024, this marble is increasingly rare and technically demanding to work, particularly when sandblasted without compromising its integrity. Produced as a limited edition of six numbered pieces per item, the sandblasted Verde Antico Ellipse collection is available exclusively on request through Salvatori’s showrooms in Milan, New York and London.
Photography courtesy of Muuto
5. Pair candleholder by Lars Tornøe for Muuto
As the season tilts toward winter, Norwegian designer Lars Tornøe’s Pair candleholder for Danish brand Muuto offers a modular, architectural counterpoint to the usual festive décor. Made from anodised aluminium in a matte finish, it comes in five understated shades ranging from black and brown to a muted green.
Tornøe first sketched the concept as a single X-shaped extrusion holding four candles. ‘As I worked with the idea, a new thought emerged: splitting the X into two parts could create a more intriguing, modular design,’ he says. The two resulting elements can be combined, mirrored, stacked or used individually, giving the user freedom to shift the composition to suit different spaces and occasions.
In a holiday season often defined by excess, Pair introduces a welcome sense of simplicity and restraint. Whether placed alone on a windowsill or arranged as a cluster at the centre of a table, it brings an elegant, architectural touch to winter interiors.
Photography courtesy of Frama
6. Petit Rond Zebra by Frama
The latest addition to Frama‘s seating collection, the Petit Rond Zebra, developed earlier this year in collaboration with Copenhagen-based designer Troels Grum-Schwensen, sees the Danish brand reimagining its much-loved Petit Rond chair with a zebra-patterned fabric – the first printed textile to enter the Frama universe.
True to its name, meaning “small circle” in French, the Petit Rond series is defined by lightweight, uncomplicated forms that bring a sense of ease to any space. The chair itself features a slim frame and timeless silhouette that adapts effortlessly to its surroundings.
All Petit Rond chairs and stools are stackable up to ten and available in brushed stainless steel, with the option of a natural leather seat to further tailor the look and feel as needed. What remains is a contemporary and lightweight piece that’s made to last.
Photography courtesy of Snøhetta
7. Le Monde HQ Sketchbooks by Snøhetta
Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta has unveiled Le Monde HQ Sketchbooks, an artistic documentation of the building’s construction by French artist Frédéric Chaume, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Parisian headquarters.
Designed by Snøhetta in collaboration with SRA Architectes, the building opened its doors in 2020 and quickly gained recognition for its arch-shaped structure and expansive public plaza. During this period, Chaume visited the site over 250 times, documenting the building’s progress through a series of hand-drawn sketches and engravings
Chaume’s artistic process unfolded in two phases: initially, on-site sketching with black chalk, charcoal, and watercolour, followed by studio work that involved copper engravings and detailed drawings. The final prints were then produced in collaboration with renowned Parisian intaglio workshop Les Ateliers Moret.
The book is enriched by poems from Lamiya Shirvanzada, an introduction by Snøhetta co-founder Kjetil Trædal Thorsen and essays by architect and historian Jean-Louis Cohen and Aedes Architecture Forum director Kristin Feireiss, offering deeper insight into the project’s artistic and architectural significance.
The book is on sale in France through Boutique Le Monde and in Norway and Scandinavia through retailers such as Adlibris and Ark
Photography courtesy of Maxalto
8. Lilum 50 by Maxalto and Patrick van Riemsdijk
Italian furniture brand Maxalto has unveiled a limited-edition sofa adorned with bold brushstrokes, created in collaboration with Mallorca-based artist Patrick van Riemsdijk to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Available in an exclusive run of just 50 pieces, the sofa is upholstered in a linen fabric specially selected for the collection, providing van Riemsdijk with the perfect canvas to showcase his work, which is recognisable for its striking yet sophisticated style.
Drawing on shodō, the traditional Japanese art of calligraphy, van Riemsdijk describes how how he approached the Lilum as a sculpture, marking his first experience painting on a piece of furniture. Each piece in the Lilum 50 collection is also accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, signed by Antonio Citterio, and features the corresponding limited edition number.
The partnership with van Riemsdijk reinforces Maxalto’s connection to the art world, a relationship the brand first established in 2021. In just five years, this collaboration has led to various projects, often spotlighting emerging young talent.
Photography courtesy of Paul Smith
9. Sunseeker by Paul Smith
Channelling the optimism and joy of summer with bold colours, statement design and surprising fragrance combinations, the latest addition to the Paul Smith Home Collection’s fragrance line comes in the form of Sunseeker.
New for Spring Summer 2023, the summery scent – created by IFF perfumer Stephanie Anderson – is blended with premium and alcohol-free ingredients. Featuring notes of Italian bergamot, mandarin, basil and musk, the specially selected ingredients also include fine natural oils sourced from LMR Natural (Laboratoire Monique Remy), one of the world’s most renowned purveyors of raw materials.
Taking its inspiration from Paul’s happy summer memories, the evocative fragrance is created to transport users to the green fields and ocean breezes of Italy. Crafted from two-tone complimentary coloured glass, and designed to be reused again and again, Sunseeker is housed in turquoise glass to represent the warm Mediterranean Sea with a beautiful acid yellow glass that recalls Italy’s marvellous sunshine.
Photography courtesy of ARCHYVIO featuring Rodolphe Parente Bedroom, Guido Gambone (1909-1969) Bowl with hand painted decor, Italy c. 1950s. Eva Zeisel (Bauhaus) for Schramberger Majolika-Fabrik Rare and possibly unique bottle with hand painted geometric decor, c. 1930s
10. ARCHYVIO
Established in 2022 by Swiss-born globetrotters Lilya Turki and Antonio Fazio, a creative director and designer respectively, Archyvio is a new online platform for timeless objects curated by colour, shape and texture. Having worked internationally in Paris, New York and London, the pair draw inspiration from their travels and surroundings, but it was their passion for sourcing objects while voyaging across the world which eventually led to the inception of Archyvio.
A gallery of objects for people to observe and enjoy, to learn from and to purchase, Archyvio aims to democratise the industry, flipping on its head the classic narrative of galleries as elitist. Turki and Fazi source the objects in a variety of ways, both online and during their travels – mainly in Italy and France – perusing various markets, auctions and stores to find hidden gems.
To further bring this vision to life, Archyvio has recently partnered with photographer François Coquerel, floral stylist Pauline Monnier and interior designer and architect Rodolphe Parente on a photo shoot that encapsulates the values of the brand. Guided above all by taste, form and colour more than by name, Archyvio rethinks the way we communicate about craft.
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