An Italian Luxury Brand’s Return to Craft
By Wim Langedijk for HURS
An Italian Luxury Brand’s Return to Craft
HUR Reads is our definitive shortlist of the most prominent articles from around the web.
By HURS Team
1
Cashing In on Her Cultural Influence
Beverly Nguyen, a fashion stylist, consultant, and entrepreneur, has made a name for herself in New York's cultural scene. Nguyen is making waves as a cultural producer and curator, known for her innovative approaches to blending art, fashion, and community engagement. Her work often involves creating spaces and events that foster creativity and dialogue among diverse groups. Known for her eclectic work, she led a unique tour of Rockefeller Center for industry executives, highlighting her influence in various industries. Her efforts are reshaping New York's cultural landscape, making it more inclusive and dynamic. The article emphasizes Nguyen's role in driving new trends and her influence on the city's vibrant cultural scene.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Lane Florsheim describes the transformation of 161 Water Street, a 1980s office building in New York's Financial District, into a luxury creative hub. Once home to AIG, the building now offers high-end amenities like spa services, and stylish workspaces, attracting creative tenants such as fashion brands and media companies. Led by Matthew and Gabriella Khalil, the project aims to foster a fresh professional community amidst a challenging Manhattan office market.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Li Zhou dives into celebrities are getting involved in politics and what impact their endorsements can have. Zhou looks at how stars like Kamala Harris and Megan Thee Stallion use their fame to connect with voters and energize their campaigns. The article explains that celebrities can help politicians reach younger, more diverse audiences through their social media and cultural influence. Zhou gives examples of how Harris used endorsements to boost her campaign and also touches on the ups and downs of relying on celebrity power in politics.
VOX
Danny Kaplan’s Brooklyn studio, a converted pre-war bottling factory, produces large-scale ceramic furniture creating works such as the Basket chair and Demilune tables, where the emphasis is on sculptural design with an organic touch. In Belgium, Nestor & Rotsen create vast ceramic surfaces for their Shelby collection, while British designer Daniel Schofield’s Mag tables for The Conran Shop offer glossy, durable finishes. French artist Agnès Debizet and Venezuelan-born Reinaldo Sanguino transform ceramics into functional art pieces, looking at the blend of design and sculpture in contemporary ceramic furniture.
HOW TO SPEND IT
Bottega Veneta’s Creative Director, Matthieu Blazy has pushed for new ways of working with leather beyond the brand’s traditional intrecciato technique. His latest creation, the Clam bag, merges Bottega Veneta's leather craftsmanship with traditional basket weaving techniques inspired by Sicilian and Polish crafts. Blazy's team, including artisans from the brand's Montebello Vicentino atelier, explored basket-making traditions and experimented with leather that mimics materials like banana leaves. The resulting Clam bag, which debuted at the spring 2024 show, combines supple, tubular leather strips to create a structured, clamshell-shaped bag.