Objects of Desire

Objects Helen Kirkum Legacy sneaker

Designer Helen Kirkum is disrupting the sneaker space with her waste-free approach. Pairing together the luxuriousness of made-to-order, exclusive designs with a sustainable mission, her Legacy sneaker offering invites you to send worn-down sneakers from your personal collection to her studio, where they are cleaned, deconstructed and reworked into a one-of-a-kind design. Even more exclusive than hyped up sneaker drops, this brilliant approach allows you to keep treasured sneakers and transform them into something exciting, stylish and immensely wearable, all while doing your part to reduce waste and live more sustainably. Kirkum will be sharing more on her made-to-order process at a London Craft Week talk on Thursday 7 October.

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Objects Castro Smith Heart Ring

A highlight of Goldsmiths’ Fair, a showcase of emerging and established fine jewellery designers and silversmiths, is undoubtedly the rings by Castro Smith. A rich background in painting and printmaking, combined with a traditional apprenticeship with the Goldsmiths’ Company, has given Smith a distinctive illustrative style which he refined during his time at Sarabande. His reimagining of traditional signet rings with Gothic, painterly motifs inspired by history, myths and biology, sees Smith adapt ancient practices to create jewellery that is simultaneously contemporary and classic. His Heart Ring, one of several pieces the designer is exhibiting at Goldsmiths’ Fair, is one such hand engraved signet ring, featuring blue ceramic plated engraving that, due to being made-to-order, has a unique finish every time.

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Objects Cartier Panther Pin

Brighten up frocks and jackets with this Cartier panther pin crafted in highly polished yellow gold with flecks of black enamel. The most iconic and timeless of the house’s motifs, the panther entered the Cartier family in 1914 by means of an onyx-spotted panther pattern wristwatch. Since then, Cartier’s panther jewels have been worn by such famous clients as Daisy Fellowes, the Duchess of Windsor and American heiress Barbara Hutton. Although the feline motif has gone through multiple variations over the past 100 years, it is still considered a must-have among jewellery collectors. It’s time to show your wild side.

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Objects Concertina Chair by Raw Edges for Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades Collection

From hammocks to armchairs and foldable stools, each limited-edition item in Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades Collection has been reimagined by an internationally celebrated designer. Since 2012, such pioneering names as Fernando & Humberto Campana, Atelier Oï and André Fu have taken up the challenge.

The collection’s experimental yet functional pieces showcase the Maison’s attention to complex craftsmanship and creative innovation. Designed by London-based Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay of Raw Edges, the Concertina chair features overlapping petal-like shapes that fan out into a statement chair. Supported on an ashwood frame, the seat cover comes in blue, caramel or green leather.

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Objects Art Deco Style, Assouline, 19 October 2021

This glossy new tome spotlights one of the most innovative art and design movements to influence the 20th century. The first volume in Assouline’s new series of Style books, Art Deco Style shows the multifaceted allure of the decorative design idiom and its continuing influence on fashion, art and design today.

Evolving between the two World Wars, Art Deco came to symbolise modernity, sophistication, glamour and optimism for technological progress. Expect beautiful imagery of everything from furniture and decorative objects to architecture and interiors. There is also a jolly introduction by Jared Goss, former associate curator in the department of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Enjoy.

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Objects Annie Leibovitz: Wonderland

‘Leibovitz is nothing less than America’s greatest living photographic portraitist,’ writes Anna Wintour in the foreword of Wonderland, a gorgeous new anthology of Leibovitz images commissioned by Vogue and Vanity Fair. ‘She has changed fashion photography forever.’

Coming to prominence in the 1970s, Leibovitz has captured some of the most famous names of the past five decades, including Michele Obama, Hilary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. Her fashion images, however, are just as beguiling. She’s reimagined Keira Knightley as Dorothy and Natalia Vodianova as Alice in Wonderland. Kate Moss, Kate Winslet and Karl Lagerfeld are among other global A-listers to strike a pose before her lens.

Although Leibovitz never saw herself as a fashion photographer, she acknowledges that her work for Vogue ‘fuelled the fire for a kind of photography that I might not otherwise have explored.’ Wonderland, her first-ever fashion book, includes over 350 extraordinary images, many of which have never been published before. Add it to your wish-list immediately.

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Objects Simon de Pury’s OLT X Picasso Collection

Always dreamt of owning a Picasso? Well, now you can in the form of a hand-embroidered clutch. Art collector, DJ and auctioneer Simon de Pury has teamed up with Olympia Le-Tan to curate a new collection of signature book clutches featuring 10 masterpieces by the much-loved Spanish master. Think such famous paintings as Le rêve, Portrait de Dora Maar and Tête de femme avec un chapeau à pompons (seen here).

Each masterpiece included in the collection will be hand-embroidered into limited editions of 77 book clutches. The first three clutch designs will be released on 7 October with three new styles being released every six months. (Be sure to pre-order via the OLT website to be in with a chance of snapping one up. The waiting list is getting longer by the minute.)

‘The craftsmanship is outstanding,’ says de Pury of OLT’s clutches. ‘Ever since I was a child, I have followed [Picasso’s] work. I chose ten works that I personally love very, very much and that would translate well to a book clutch.’ Picasso’s granddaughter, Diana Picasso, adds: ‘These clutches are the ultimate luxury accessory for any art lover. I want them all!’ And so do we!

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Objects Ai Weiwei. The Silk Scarf ‘Haircut’

Inspired by his Papercut Portfolio from 2019, this handwoven and hand-silkscreened scarf references Ai Weiwei’s involvement in documenta XII in Kassel in 2007, when he invited 1001 Chinese compatriots to travel to the German city and participate in one of his artworks. He designed their clothes, suitcases — and as depicted here — also cut their hair.

Created exclusively for Taschen, Ai’s wearable art range also includes the black and white Citizens’ Investigation scarf and a range of laser cut bags adorned with motifs from his Papercut Portfolio. Ai’s limited-edition clothbound artwork pays tribute to the traditional Chinese art of papercutting, whereby coloured, intricately cut papers are used as a storytelling medium. At £35,000, though, it’s a hefty investment. So, look to Ai’s silky scarf instead. With a price tag of just £250, it’s a bargain.

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The Wick - Schiaparelli Gaze Pendant Earrings

Objects Schiaparelli gaze pendant earrings

Schiaparelli is renowned for its innovative designs and creativity. Founded by the dazzling Elsa Schiaparelli in 1927, it transforms sportswear, Haute Couture, art, fragrance and jewellery into wearable works of art. From the outset, Elsa surrounded herself with the very best creative talent, collaborating with such iconic artists as Dali, Cocteau, Man Ray and Giacometti. Today, the house cultivates this illustrious heritage, crafting daring, eye-catching pieces that captivate the imagination.

This pair of eye pendant earrings is no exception. Each earring features Cocteau’s surrealist floating eye — a dreamy signature of the Schiaparelli universe — and rhinestone chandelier drops, giving the effect of glittering tears. In our eyes, they’re perfect for party season.

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