emma de pourtales

Maison Baluchon.

May 25, 2016 by emmadepourtales

A quick line on the French brand and manufacturer “Maison Baluchon”. Simplicity. Sincerity. A bit of eccentricity. Macbook cases, handbags, … Original fabrics designed in-house. All products actually made in Chaumont, east of France, near the Swiss border. Human sized company. Impeccable customer service. My bag came with a beautiful notebook and even a typo on the thank you note. “L’erreur est humaine”. Or should I just say: […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: authentic design, bags, craftsmanship, french, maison baluchon

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Deboutonner la mode!

July 5, 2015 by emmadepourtales

This exhibition is taking place at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and is on until July 19, 2015 and is worth a little detour. Why? First because this collection of over 3,000 button is unique in the world and has been classified as a Work of Major Heritage Interest by the Consultative Commission on National Treasures. Second, this collection will take you through the 18th, 19th and 20th century in a very interesting and unusual manner. Moreover, it highlights a very often […]

Categories: CRAFTS., IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN PARIS., ON THE AGENDA., Uncategorized • Tags: heritage, Loïc Allio, musée des arts décoratifs, museum, Paris

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What is luxury?

May 25, 2015 by emmadepourtales

If you have the chance, try and view the latest exhibition at the V&A Museum in London. It is entitled “What is luxury?”. It is indeed a very good question, as this word has been used for so many things that it has become meaningless. Luxury definitely involves the mastery of a craft . But it goes further than that. Lately, we have seen so many brands putting forward a “brand heritage” to gain some legitimacy but in a way that sounds a bit dusty […]

Categories: CRAFTS., ON THE AGENDA., Uncategorized • Tags: exhibition, true luxury, what is luxury; Victoria&Albert Museum; Museum

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Optical Art on Wood

March 8, 2015 by emmadepourtales

I came across the work of a young french artisan Vincent Dionigi during Paris Design Week and thought I would share it with you, as I find it really interesting. Vincent Dionigi is a cabinetmaker, quite logically passionate with wood. He uses traditional techniques to create wooden panels. They are made of several triangular pieces assembled together to create perspective and optical illusion. My attention was caught by this cabinet. The very smooth finish of the work and the simple design of […]

Categories: CRAFTS., DESIGN & INTERIORS., Uncategorized • Tags: Diogini, graphical, minimalistic, optical illusion, Paris, simple, wood

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Nakaniwa Gallery: the utmost japanese refinement

January 31, 2015 by emmadepourtales

Nakaniwa is a gallery based in Paris 6th arrondissement, which promotes the Honmono, a japanese concept. It is about the authenticity which rests with an object thanks to the sincerity of the work of all people involved in its creation as well as the technics and the tradition embroiled in the process. It is about the connectivity between people using the object and people creating it. I cannot imagine more delicate, meaningful concept. It is both refined and simple. In […]

Categories: CRAFTS., DESIGN & INTERIORS., ON THE AGENDA. • Tags: craftsmanship, japan, little prince, nakaniwa, philosophy, saint exupery, tradition

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It is never too late.

November 26, 2014 by emmadepourtales

As George Eliot, a leading writer in the 19th century, said: “it is never too late to be what you might have been”. Well I agree. And why not have this very wise word of advice as a desktop wallpaper for a while as a daily reminder that each day you can choose to be what you truly are rather than just follow a path that has been designed for you through the force of habit.

Categories: QUOTE. UNQUOTE., Uncategorized • Tags: George Eliot

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The perfect desk.

September 4, 2014 by emmadepourtales

Tomas Kral is a young (very) talented designer born in Slovakia in 1979. He is a graduate from the famous Swiss arts and design school ECAL. He works in his product design studio “TOMAS KRAL” and exhibits in London (Libby Sellers), Paris (Kreo), Berlin (Helmrinderknecht) and Barcelona (IL-Lacion gallery) amongst others. His design is simple and yet witty and creative, which is the winning combination to me. And not surprisingly, I have fallen in love with one of his most recent creation […]

Categories: DESIGN & INTERIORS. • Tags: aluminum, ash wood, berlin, ECAL, galerie kreo, helmrinderknecht, HOMEWORK, kreo, Libby Sellers, London, Paris, talented designer, thomas kral

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Perpetual Calendar and Majestic Trompe-l’Oeil.

July 16, 2014 by emmadepourtales

It is called L’Atelier d’Exercices. It is a designer’s studio which, according to its manifesto, “is dedicated to the creation, publishing and distribution of objects, furniture and systems.” I find their products creative, witty and visually pleasant such as this perpetual calendar. It has also produced a collection Ligne 13 designed in collaboration with the famous and über-creatively-productive Maison Martin Margiela which features revisited traditional daily objects. See below some of my favourites.

Categories: DESIGN & INTERIORS. • Tags: adhesive fabric, L'Atelier d'exercices, Ligne 13, Maison Martin Margiela, trompe l'oeil, wallpaper

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Bike hanger.

May 26, 2014 by emmadepourtales

Anyone who both uses a bike and is a clean and order freak as I am will most likely love this bicycle storage/entrance shelf by the Italian brand Woodly. Clean, neat, clever storage, for those who live in busy cities where every sqm counts.

Categories: DESIGN & INTERIORS. • Tags: ecodesign, italian Design, Rome, storage, woodly

Phoebe Rudomino. The Girl in a Room.

April 7, 2014 by emmadepourtales

Phoebe Rudomino is a young artist specialised in underwater filming and photography. I came across her work at the Out of Focus exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. I find this photograph quite magical and poetic really. I love the shades, the composition, the angle and the depth – everything just feels right.

Categories: CRAFTS., ON THE AGENDA. • Tags: Art, Phoebe Rudomino, Photography

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Contemporary design and Japanese tradition.

March 3, 2014 by emmadepourtales

The Japanese design team Nosinger is famous for its fabulous set of drawers that opens on different sides and thus can be used in the same time. Clever and sleek. And indeed perfect for space corners. Its product collection distributed by “Colors” combines raw materials with unique and traditional craftsmanship. I particularly like the “Charcoal Candle” (wax mixed with charcoal). And the “trunk” porcelain vase based on […]

Categories: CRAFTS., DESIGN & INTERIORS. • Tags: charcoal candle, colors, flower arrangement, ikebana, japanese, nosinger, trunk

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Weightlessness store in Tokyo

February 13, 2014 by emmadepourtales

The Japanese design studio Nendo has styled the Compolux store in the Shibuya district in Tokyo. The big wide open space has been visually divided by white iron fences. Both the fences and the mannequin are attached to rails in the ceiling, so they can be easily rearranged. It seems that gravity has been taken off the space, the lightness is palpable and the whole space seems to be floating, giving strong visual impact to the herringbone pattern of the […]

Categories: DESIGN & INTERIORS., ON THE AGENDA. • Tags: compolux, design, nendo, seibu departement store, shibuya, store design, tokyo

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