craftsmanship
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Inventory No. 38
Our selection of products made by new and established designers, including a barrister turned perfumier and a former pilot who makes canvas bags.
The model maker
Amidst a British design scene of experimentalism, Tomoko Azumi’s furniture is striking for its elegance and simplicity, earning the Japanese designer a solo show in her adopted homeland.
Fonts of knowledge
Japanese font-maker Morisawa takes up to four years to perfect a typeface. This meticulousness has led its fonts to become as celebrated as Helvetica, adorning everything from signs to computer screens.
Bowled over
In a remote part of South Korea, 84-year-old Lee Bong-ju is reviving the tradition of making beautiful, unique Korean bronzeware, from elegant cutlery to white-gold dishes that have served presidents and royalty.
Turning heads
Mühlbauer in Vienna creates headwear in the age-old way. The business was saved from the brink of collapse by the brother and sister owners and their designs are now sold internationally.
Trad over rad
The prevailing mood at this year’s Stockholm Furniture Fair was one of optimism, but companies shunned daring, boundary-pushing concepts in favour of classic, well-crafted works.
Braking the mould
Mitsuoka makes models based on classic cars, handmade in its Toyama workshop. This unique approach gives it an edge in an industry that is lifting itself out of the doldrums.
Raining supreme
For our series investigating the secrets of success, Monocle visits Austrian company Doppler, Europe’s biggest manufacturer of quality umbrellas. Its top product has been handcrafted in the same way since the 1940s.
Turning the tables
Carl Malmsten was one of Sweden’s greatest furniture designers. Thanks to his grandson, Jerk Malmsten, his legacy continues, with the brand being revitalised for a new generation of admirers.
