The New Craftsmen

On my radar: Abask, your new design destination



Abask interiors

Heads-up: there’s a fab new e-commerce platform getting a lot of attention right now.

As fashion and beauty online retail have become saturated, as well as an overall fatigue with trends in consuming, it makes sense that some are shifting interests to interiors, a somewhat slower pace of taste signalling – for now.

Abask is the brainchild of Matchesfashion co-founder Tom Chapman and former ecommerce director Nicolas Pickaerts. Its premise is room-themed edits of lovingly-crafted artisanal pieces – whether new, vintage or antique. I’m all about the Study*, where desk-destined Murano glass paperweights* sit alongside Carl Auböck brass knick-knacks* and exquisite vintage fountain pens*. (more…)



Trend report: For Burberry and Jonathan Anderson, art and craft are king



Burberry aw16 Makers House

Craft is trending for SS17 (or is it AW16?) and I don’t just mean complex embroideries and hand tooled leathers. Although, yes, those too. More that designers are celebrating all manner of craft and makers, in particular two of LFW’s most important designers,Christopher Bailey at Burberry and J.W.Anderson’s Jonathan Anderson. (more…)