06.27.21
EDITORS’ LIST
Jill and Monica share their June picks, including shoes that remind us of scrunchies, a treasure trove of Modernist bronze gems, the Instagram account scouring Craigslist for us, and housewares by the French artist known as “the Picasso of jewelry.”
Jill’s List
 1. MIWA ITOOur first introduction to the Japanese glass-blowing artist Miwa Ito was this platter, which looks similar to the resin Gaetano Pesce placemats that are everywhere on Instagram. But perusing her website, there’s a lot to love, including the slumped Slime mug at the top of this page. “I have liked cartoons and American pop culture since I was a child,” Ito explains. “They served as inspirations for my drawings and always managed to cheer me up whenever when I was down.” |
 2. DA CERAMICSI’ve been poking around online lately, looking for an organic yellow ceramic platter I bought at a pop-up shop a few years ago. The only identifying mark on it says “DA,” and while I’m honestly not sure if this is the same DA Ceramics, this is a very cute duo of espresso cups, a typology you don’t see all the time these days. |
 3. CASE STUDY OWe haven’t covered Case Studyo since 2013, when the Belgian artist editions editor worked with Philadelphia-based illustrator Andy Rementer. But this latest, a candelabra by artist Genesis Balenger that’s made in bronze but looks like ceramic, is a delight. Sold out, but maybe keep an eye on their Instagram? |
 4. GENE SUMMERSWhile looking at Wright Now — the non-auction based side of Wright in Chicago, where you can buy or commission new work anytime — I stumbled upon this collection by Gene Summers, the Modernist architect who started his career working with Mies van der Rohe on structures like the Farnsworth House and New York’s Seagram Building. This collection of lost wax–cast bronze pieces is so unbelievably good, I can’t believe I’ve never seen it before. (Side note: Is anyone else unable to hear the name Gene without automatically envisioning Christopher Meloni’s character in Wet Hot American Summer? I hope we share this.) |
 5. LICHEN CABINETThere’s been a lot of chatter on Design Instagram lately about knock-offs, but Lichen’s new collaboration with the Italian company Dottus is a good reminder of how to subtly nod or pay homage to something without copying it outright, which is a lesson some designers seem to have trouble with these days! The pivoting drawers from the 1990s-era design suggest Shiro Kuramata’s 1970 Revolving Cabinet, but it truly looks like its own thing — plus, it seems like an extremely useful piece of furniture! |
 6. SCRUNCHIE COUTUREThe California-based online boutique Beklina has been on something of a roll lately with its in-house line of women’s shoes. (I’ve been coveting these Wiggle Clogs for weeks.) But something about these new gathered leather heels really caught my eye. They both remind me and seem like the natural evolution of scrunchie couture. (They’re also the exact color of a pair of formal Sergio Rossi platforms I bought from Century 21 in the early 2000s, so a real nostalgia double whammy.) |
Monica’s List
 1. WRIGHT DESIGN AUCTIONFew really nice pieces in Wright’s upcoming art and design auction on July 16, including a pretty Karl Springer lamp, a Peter Shire teapot, a bunch of cool acrylic sculptures, a pair of wooden Italian door handles (want), an Alexander Calder (ish) hammock, some Sottsass, and this insane Thom Mayne chair from 1989. |
 2. HOW TO WORK WITH AN INTERIOR DESIGNERAussie blog The Design Files is doing a nice series of 101s — dummy guides to topics like how to work with a landscape designer and, more recently, how to work with an interior designer. Sometimes we take it for granted that people know these things but, if you’re new to homeownership, or to having a budget, why would you? This article is a good place to start. |
 3. ILOVECRAIGSLISTIf I could get paid to search Craigslist all day — but not to physically deal with the goods, which has kept me from ever even dreaming of being a picker — I totally would. Which is why I’m of course particularly fond of this new Instagram account, which is dedicated to finding good CL deals in NYC. The audience is still small, too, so you have a good chance of snagging things that are featured, unlike @stoopingnyc. |
 4. DEBORAH CZERESKO TOASTI had seen Deborah’s glass eggs on IG when I went looking her up on Urbanglass and found this super cute toast (with butter). I couldn’t figure out how a $265 piece of toast was sold out, but then I saw she was on the Netflix glass-blowing show Blown Away, which I never watched, oops. There are still some eggs in stock though. |
 5. JEAN DESPRES HOUSEWARESMid-century French designer Jean Després was nicknamed the “Picasso of jewelry,” and his jewelry is amazing, but lately I’ve been wormhole-ing into his housewares, made from hammered silver and sometimes adorned with chains. Some were a bit ornate for my taste, but some had the perfect geometric Art Deco minimalist styling I love, like the vase above, or this tureen that sold for $13,000 ten years back. Following on 1stdibs just for kicks. |
 6. GASTON CHAISSACI’ve also been rediscovering another French talent, painter Gaston Chaissac, who rose to prominence in the 1930s. Particularly his flat, color-blobby paintings of people, many with goofy smiling faces. He also made cool wooden sculptures he called “totems.” |
